Between my two toons I have about 8gp in cash. They are a 28 defiler and a 23 necro. I don't trade skill and I spend pretty much all of my money on spell upgrades. I think overall I may have spent 4 or 5gp on equipment. I quest for almost all of my gear and what I am wearing that isn't quested was probably something I traded for with a guildy. For example, I traded a 3 ring band and an adept 1 with a Bruiser in my guild for 2 of those platinum banded ring things. I wanted the Wis on the rings and he wanted some of the stats on the 3 ring band. Worked out nicely.
I used to make a lot of cash by selling dropped items as a broker. Lately, I've given about 15 trade skill books away to members of the guild (which they use to make me stuff) along with probably 10-15 equipment type items and 5 or 6 adepts. The things I haven't given away I am having a really hard time selling. I have had the same 4 adept 1 books for sale for 2 weeks. They are all lvl 20+ spells and I currently have them listed at around 55sp. The going price for them is normaly closer to 1gp or 1.5gp so I know I am selling cheep.
The problem I'm seeing is, as an evil toon I come across a lot of good race adepts. These are so hard to sell because not many people want to pay the 40% commision or take the time to go to the blackmarket broker. However, they would probably get my spell +40% commision for cheeper than they can get off of a regular broker. Heh, that's usually where I find all my spell upgrades.
To sum it all up, I'm not hurting for cash nor am I where I think I would be had I not been giving things away to the guild. Also, since I hate to trade skill, it is really nice that I give people books and then they make me stuff in return. Check your cities blackmarket broker for things you are having trouble finding. Many times it will be available there and might even be a bit cheeper for you.
(Freeport blackmarket broker is located in EFP. There is a light tower out in the water that you swim to. No idea on Qeynos since I've never been in that Pie Baker village.)