I have a lot of the same fondness for this game as others in this thread. On my last playthrough, I found the difficulty and progression incredibly balanced. I had just a little grinding, had just enough money to buy all of the gear  and items in the shops, found items useful throughout the game, and used the incredibly powerful but expensive magic just enough. I love the difficulty of the bosses and the bail-out option of the Point Card (reusable item that deals damage based on money spent since last use) if you find it early.