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Marrying for money is a time-honored tradition, albeit one we like to think isn’t practicedthatoften anymore. While romancing an NPC is a major part ofStardew Valley,sometimes you just want to sit back and build up that bank account.
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Picking your spouse based on the value they bring to the farm seems cut-throat, but it’s understandable if you’re playing throughStardew Valley’sJojaMart route.Considering the expense of JojaMart’s community development projects,every bit of gold helps.
Of course, it’s also worth keeping in mind the non-monetary value of spousal gifts. Sometimes, the buffs from a crunchy stack ofCrab Cakesare worth more than their sale price. You might make more money offnotselling a gift!
So which spouse is the ideal financial partner? Let’s dive in and find out.
Although Krobus technically becomes your “roommate,” I’m treating him as a spouse in this guide because he lives on your farm and gives gifts in a similar way.
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Marriage With Benefits
Whoever you ultimately pick asthe best romantic partner,the core benefits of marriage inStardew Valleyare pretty similar. Keep your spouse happy with gifts and attention, andthey’ll help out around the farm and give giftsin return.
A spouse’s farm help is pretty sporadic. At times, it’s huge, but at other times it’s a letdown. For example, they might water all of your crops. This saves a bunch of time and Energy … unless all of your crops were being watered byIridium Sprinklers,anyway. Thanks, Honey.
Repairing fences and watering crops is nice, but since these chores are randomized, I never rely on my spouse for labor. Their work occasionally comes in clutch, but usually,the best marriage benefit is receiving gifts.
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Gifts From Your Spouse
Each spouse offers a variety of gifts. The number of options ranges from Sam or Harvey’s 6 to a whopping 13 options from Abigail and Haley. Most of the time, your spouse gifts food to keep you going while farming. If you’re seeking profit, though, don’t be fooled—the sell price of most meals is more than anAmethystgem!
All spouse gifts are at base quality. Your skills, fertilizer, etc. don’t impact the item’s value. However, perks like Rancher buff a gift’s sale price as usual.
Potential Gifts
Cooked Food
Amethyst, Bat Wing, Bomb, Cherry Bomb, Fire Quartz, Solar Essence, Void Essence
Chowder, Crab Cakes, Lobster Bisque, Parsnip Soup, Tom Kha Soup, Trout Soup
Baked Fish, Crispy Bass, Dish O' The Sea, Fried Eel, Hashbrowns, Omelet, Pancakes, Survival Burger
Baked Fish, Coffee, Chowder, Fish Stew, Fried Calimari, Wine (Winter 28 only)
Cloth, Duck Feather, Omni Geode, Refined Quartz, Wool
Bean Hotpot, Blueberry Tart, Chocolate Cake, Cookie, Rice Pudding
Bean Hotpot, Blueberry Tart, Bread, Chowder, Cookie, Eggplant Parmesan, Fried Egg, Hashbrowns, Maple Bar, Omelet, Pancakes, Parsnip Soup, Poppyseed Muffin
Carp Surprise, Complete Breakfast, Crispy Bass, Fried Eel, Salmon Dinner, Vegetable Medley
Sea Urchin, Void Egg, Void Mayonnaise, Void Salmon
Fried Eel, Lucky Lunch, Poppyseed Muffin, Strange Bun
Cactus Fruit, Chanterelle, Common Mushroom, Daffodil, Dandelion, Fiddlehead Fern, Leek, Morel, Red Mushroom, Spice Berry, Sweet Pea, Wild Horseradish
Coffee, Wine (Winter 28 only)
Bomb, Cherry Bomb, Gate, Refined Quartz, Quality Fertilizer, Warp Totem: Farm
Blueberry Tart, Chocolate Cake, Cookies, Crab Cakes, Fried Mushroom, Rice Pudding
Egg, Geode, Large Milk, Mixed Seeds
Crispy Bass, Fried Eel, Hashbrowns, Omelet, Pancakes, Salmon Dinner, Vegetable Medley
Cactus Fruit, Coconut, Earth Crystal, Geode
Pancakes, Pizza
Amethyst, Bat Wing, Cave Carrot, Frozen Tear, Obsidian, Void Essence
Coffee, Beer (Winter 28 only)
Large Egg, Void Egg
Beer, Omelet, Pale Ale, Pepper Poppers, Pizza
When To Check For Gifts
There’s a chance your spouse will give you a gift in two circumstances:
On rainy days, the type of gift depends on the time of day. You can receive a breakfast meal in the morning, or a dinner or dessert in the evening.
A “rainy day” isn’t restricted to just rain—any type of weather will do (such as snow during Winter). In addition, Krobus' gift pattern is a bit different—he may give gifts on non-rainy days, too.
Not every spouse is an equal cook! Some only gift either breakfast or dinner meals. However, if the randomized gift is not a meal, you’ll receive it whenever you speak with them throughout the rainy day.
Consequently, inStardew Valley,the easiest way to check for gifts from your spouse is to speak with them in mornings and evenings on rainy days. These days are more common than when your spouse stays inside—and they’re blatantly obvious, too!
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A Profitable Marriage
If you’re optimizing everything on the farm—even makingthe fish ponds profitable—then it’s best to considerthe average value of giftsreceived from your spouse. I’m looking at the base value of each gift, without accounting for potential buffs to the sell price. I’m also not including gifts received only on Winter 28.
Average Gold Per Gift
Harvey tops the list with his small collection of high-value foods, with Emily trailing close behind thanks to the value ofCloth,Duck Feathers,andWool.If you take the Artisan perk, she squeaks into the top spot.
Overall, meals are the major money-maker. From a utility perspective, the Farming +2 from Harvey’sComplete Breakfastand Shane’sPepper Poppersmake those high-value spouses even more attractive.
In contrast, spouses like Maru and Abigail offer useful items (likeBombs), but those items just aren’t that valuable. When selecting a spouse for profit, it’s best to avoid partners who gift useful—but cheap—items.
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