For those experiencing poor economy, ya, I miss trading a bit, have you checked in the camp option and make sure to turn off the diplomacy economic changes? I found that businesses make a bit of money there. Having said that, it's not a lot of money, the return seems to be baked in at 20 weeks or so (4500 gets you around 220 per week) before you get a return, it's worse for the dye works. The secret is, don't buy them at all unless you are going to play that long. Generally I feel like I won around day 300, so it's worth it, the dye works is about 25 weeks. I buy whichever one makes sense, and hope it will payoff, but I don't buy them straight off, I prefer to take my first town first, which happens around day 60-80, so, I need my money to get set up, like hiring the Unsullied guy and generally like to buy good armor and an armored horse if I get unlucky with looting. Keep your party to companions if you can and get into fights and take all the loot for yourself, the don't care.