Everyone talks about "playing GTA V properly," but you'll get bored of behaving in Los Santos pretty quick. Some nights you just want pure chaos, no guilt. If you're messing around with cheats or even browsing GTA 5 Modded Accounts, do yourself a favour and keep your serious progress separate, because the game's not shy about punishing you for having fun.
Protect Your Real Progress
Here's the rule most people learn the hard way: don't cheat on your main save. The moment a cheat is active, trophies and achievements are off for that session. That means you can nail a mission, land a ridiculous stunt, and still walk away with nothing to show for it. Make a fresh manual save that's only for messing about. Load it when you feel reckless, and jump back to your clean save when you're done. It's simple, and it saves a lot of regret later.
Phone Cheats That Actually Matter
You can punch in button combos, sure, but the phone is faster when things are messy. When your screen's flashing and you're one mistake away from a hospital bill, dial 1-999-887-853 (TURTLE) for full health and armour. If you're sick of scavenging ammo mid-fight, 1-999-866-587 (TOOLUP) drops a full weapon set into your lap. And when you just want to see what happens if you do something stupid, 1-999-7246-545-537 (PAINKILLER) gives you five minutes of invincibility. Not forever, so don't waste it standing around.
Heat, Escapes, and One Easy Toy
Cops piling in can kill the vibe fast, especially when you're only trying to cause a little mayhem, not start a city-wide lockdown. If you need breathing room, dial 1-999-5299-3787 (LAWYERUP) to lower your wanted level. It won't erase your mistakes completely, but it buys space to reset and move. And if you're tired of driving across the map like it's a commute, 1-999-2899-633 (BUZZOFF) spawns a Buzzard right in front of you. It's perfect for quick travel, rooftop landings, and that "I'm leaving now" exit when the streets get ugly.
Play Wild, Then Switch Back
The best part is you can treat cheats like a temporary mood, not a permanent way of playing. Go on a spree, test ramps, start fights you shouldn't win, then reload your clean save and you're back to normal like nothing happened. It's the same mindset people use when they're comparing setups, platforms, or even looking at GTA 5 Accounts for sale before they decide how they want to play, because keeping options open just makes the whole thing more fun.