the game couldn't get any easier....just do trade runs

I was on my way to west point when I got shot down by outcasts...where can I make trade runs? the only place is Manhatten->Pittsburg

do a mission and buy a rhino, take luxury consumer good's to Tokyo but go through Kepler it's easier=/ than go over to Osaka storage (Honshu)and get H-fuel, take that back to Manhattan..do this get a shield/imp counter measures and drone in tokyo..

after you get about $200,000 it shouldn't take long get to Berlin, buy the humpback and take diamonds to Tokyo, buy Niobium in Tokyo and take it back to the Ring base, right outside of Berlin can't miss it=/ get the freighter shield and adv countermeasures dropper at Helgoland on you way past there.

you will have about $2000,000 in 4-7 unless you die crazy times, enough cash to get the rig/bribes and acceceries you need...

There are lots of ways to start out. As noted above, trading will get you $$ quick, especially in freighters, but you really can expect to die that way, especially in an underequipped Rhino.
My suggestion is to start out slowly with some easy missions, until you can buy a Defender at the Battleship Missourri. Then do some, admittedly lower profit, but safer, trade runs. Lux Goods from Manhattan to New Tokyo or even better Ainu Depot in Hokkaido. Then Engine parts from Tokyo->Denver, and Lux Goods back to Ainu or Tokyo. When flying from AInu to Tokyo haul H-Fuel for a small profit. Always fly with maxxed Nanos and Batteries, unless on an easy mission where you may pick some up. As someone said above, go through Kepler, not Galileo, to be a little safer.
What I like to do is, right off the bat sell those lousy Class 1 guns and buy a couple class 2's..the fast firing ones, forget their name. You can usually pick up a class 3 off a kill on a mission. Then do a few assasination/destroy-tractor loot/pick up prisoner missions (avoid destroy installation and kill 'em all missions). In Liberty they rarely use cruise disruptors, so after you get your target you can cruise away without fear of getting blown up from behind.
Actually, that's the biggest point. When you get in trouble in Liberty, hit Shift-W and serpentine your way outta there.

I hope this isn't considered a spoiler.

rabidrobot

Be Like The Squirrel.