What strategy do you play with?

What strategy do you play with? How do you make a lot of money quickly? My problem is that I get lost in the many raw materials and have a hard time keeping track of how much of each item (weapons and tools) is needed, and I mostly end up running between the bank and the crafting stations, wasting a lot of game time. My main goal is to create my own island and raise animals and plants, as this is the part of the game that interests me the most. Is it worth crafting the necessary raw materials or should I sell them and buy what I need on the market?