The phrase "make wad" means to accumulate or amass a large sum of money. There are several synonyms that one can use to express the same meaning. Some of these include "earn big bucks", "rake in the dough", "bring home the bacon", "generate a fortune", "build up a nest egg", "gather a pile", "put away the cash", "hoard a stash", "accumulate a trove", and "amass a bankroll". All these synonyms convey the idea of gaining a substantial amount of money through hard work, business acumen, or investment. So, next time you want to express the idea of "making wad", you can use one of these synonyms to add some variety to your writing or speech.