New to turn-based strategy

1) Don't build every single social project that becomes available. Focus on the ones that increase your economics first. Then, pick certain planets to specialize in other social projects depending upon your need.

2) I prefer these starters:

Soil Enhancement
Habitat Improvement
Banking Center
Embassy
Fusion Power Plant

Of course, some come later than others but this is what I like to aim at for my govenor.

Yeah this isn't Civ, you've got to specialize. I did the same thing you are probably doing (building everything) & it worked, up to a point. Then my empire fell apart.

~SDC~

I think GalCiv is really great in giving your civ's economic situation. For instance when you build you can easily glance at the left of your screen and it tells you what you that star planets expenses to income is. Each social project has a maintance cost associated with it as well. You might want to stay away from the projects that have high maintance cost.

Some things I have done is sell techs to minor civ's and spread out the price between 10-20 months so its like you are getting tribute from other civs, which just help you stay afloat.

Trade by itself is nice, but requires a couple of things to really make the bucks. One, it requires peace along the trade routes so that no one is picking off your freighters (one can get lucky and get a UP resolution to tidy that up). Two, it require some starbase support with trade modules. Have every one of your routes radiate from a key planet, and get the trade boosting star base modules set up there. That will really start making it worthwhile by itself. Three, trade requires a research commitment that will give you enough routes to do the job with. Two routes are not going to pay the bills, but 5 or 6 boosted routes will definitely make some serious BC!

On to maintanence. As someone else said, go light on the social projects. Maybe every planet is worth an entertainment center eventually, and definitely a stadium, but not immediately! Build enough ships to suit your purpose, but overbuilding will put you in debt. Be prepared to lower spending and live with a 45 to 50% tax rate that only lowers later after the trade income balances the budget.

i usaly set my taxes to 45% and play fediralist.they are best with econimy. also after update you will have further econ bonuses you can chose from. i never build a military fleet until war is declared.the higher the populace helps too so colonize alot of planets. afew other things might be obvious like mine the econ resourses like crazy,econ and mining starbaes will help a ton trade routes.oh yes and keep an eye on fleet costs and kill off ships as you deem nesicary