420 GP... yeah, that's a toughie. You want to get to 600, either unboosted, or boosted with cheap food... But the melds you'd do to your current gear would go obsolete so fast you'd really regret spending the gil - unless materia and the Dodore gear is dirt cheap on Zalera.

I fish, but I'm very casual about it so I have no advice there.

I think the "hard way" will be boring but strategically better for you.