Just curious which Guildhests did you do? Since repeating guildhests give you less rewards then clearing it the first time.
1 castrum run cost 800 to 1k gil in repair.
Can honestly say I spent no money on crafting or potions on my way to 50 for my white mage. Repairing gear every so often, but not to the point where I spend thousands of gil on it just leveling up. New gear came with doing quests if I so chose, or finding it in dungeon runs.
Not saying I agree or disagree with the person you quoted, just saying everyone's mileage may vary.
I don't know how much easier a game could be. sure the gil issue IS an issue. the merchants should be aware of the market trends and subtract a % depending how far away you are from one of the three market locations. there are many ways to make money in the game and not dying as in FFXI and losing points... sometimes de-lvl'ing!!! I almost cried the first time that happened! lol wear and tear is normal - i've got holes in my jeans - a patch or thread is going to set me back a couple of bucks - but I do agree with OP - I got hit with a 3,800gil repair bill after lvl 50 Ifirit fight! So yeah, I can earn money by farming, but the repairs do seem steep. peace.