You can also take the slow take on the crafting and gathering which is not much money sink at all. As already stated the early levels are not costly if you only buy from npc vendor or, cheaper yet, though time consuming, also level the gathering classes the same time, and use those spoils to level crafting. The slow take I mean is to just craft and gather enough to make the Grand Company turn ins each day. They take one item for every crafting and gathering class. (When you make the turn in you don't need to change to respective classes either, you get automatically experience that goes to specific class). If you make the daily return in HQ items, you get even double reward, experience included. Keep doing that on the "background" and it won't end up much costly at all, and still gives you decent progress.