Why does everyone say that mining is the best way to start the game? Here's what you should be doing.
Mining seems like the absolute worst way to play this game. There is an entire world out there to explore and you are going to this there chipping away at a rock to get some copper ore to sell---for what? Money?
Kenshi is a fat land. There are fortunes to be made just by exploring. But why do people think sitting around watching someone beat on a rock is fun or lucrative?
Here are some ways to make early game cash.
Clean out the little shack in The Hub. It's FREE Real Estate!
Run over to Hiver territory and hang out with the Hivers. When beak things come to town let them kill them and you sell the hides, cook the meat, and sell the meat. Same with Gorillos and Wild bulls.
Find a Beak Thing nest and approach at night with a traders wooden pack. Drop it on the ground near by and sneak into the nest at night and steal the eggs. Go back to the pack, put it on, transfer eggs, drop it. Go back and get the other eggs. Repeat. You're rich! Easy 40k on the first day!
Stand in The Hub and zoom out. Look for Dust Bandit camps. Sneak in at night and knock them out. Keep trying and if caught flee into darkness. When you can succeed to knock them out take their stuff and sell it in The Hub. When you've got some cash by a Thieve's pack and go back and steal some more. When you get some more money buy a pack beast pup. Go back and steal some more and load up that pack beast. You are rich!
If you've got some stealth then sneak down to the Swamps and raid the research lab that is South West of Shark. Just open the gate and those Blood Spiders will run out. Run away until they are out and then run back in. They won't follow. Easy money in there. 50 to 100k in loot. Bring that Pack Beast with you.