Every character starts with 500 credits. Earning money can be done through quests, pay after battle, selling old gear or gear you find, or if you must stoop low enough, mugging. Muggings aren't usually worth much but hey, it's money I suppose. There are NO exeptions to this rule, so the Admin's don't care if you've been working at The First Coruscant bank or other place for centuries without spending a dime, you start with 500 credits.

Faction members get paid on a weekly basis. The better off the faciton is, then the more the average pay will be. Sounds good, no? So go join a faction and fight for it!