Professions

• One of the easiest and simplest ways to start picking up gold in WoW is through the use of professions: skills and abilities that your character possesses that aren't necessarily related to combat. Gathering professions are particularly effective when trying to generate gold: things like Mining or Skinning allow you to accrue resources as you move through the world, then exchange them for currency. And they do so without forcing you to expend other resources in the process (allowing you to gain levels more quickly). Always make use of your gathering professions when you travel--get into the habit and don't deviate from it. You'll be surprised at how rapidly that translates into real money.
  
  

Looting

• To a certain extent, looting is the name of the game in WoW. When you encounter monsters--either on a Quest or during more mundane travels--you can fight them, kill them and take their stuff. If you're interested in accumulating a lot of gold quickly, take on as many Quests as you can. You'll expose yourself to more monsters and hence have more chances to loot. You can also activate an "auto-loot" feature that strips the bodies of valuables without having to think about it every time. Access your user interface panel by pressing the Escape key on your keyboard, then click on the "Controls" option. You should see a box that allows you to turn on your auto-loot feature; simply click it and make sure it has a check mark in it.
  
  

Auction Houses

• Not every item you claim through looting, questing or gathering is actual currency. To turn these items into gold, you need to sell them, and auction houses make an ideal place to do so. They appear in most of the larger cities, and most are aligned with either the Horde or the Alliance (meaning that only characters affiliated with those factions can use them). A few neutral auction houses can be found in places like Gadgetzan and Everlook; they're preferable because their items are available to everyone--making them one of the few places where an Alliance character can buy a Horde item and vice versa. You may also wish to sell your items during high-traffic hours when a lot of players are online, and at auction houses that let you keep your wares up for an extended period of time. If you want to make a lot of gold, only use auction houses to sell, never to buy; you can usually get whatever you need for free by questing.