I just hit rank 10 this morning with 10k in the bank. People starting late can definitely go a little faster with all the info that's available. 4520 sc was my earnings last week. On Day 3 (day off), I have 4410.

I checked the vendor and there's more stuff to buy.

I have 10 animals herded until I bank enough crops to keep more fed regularly. I might add one or two if I happen to catch the super rare spawns.

Patience and restraint pays off. I imagine I'll have all the shop items within a few weeks. It's nice to have something to do that I can easily walk away from and pick up easily.