I'm about 32 hours in, in Vejas Jungle. I had to retreat to go buy one spell that I had never used before in order to get past a couple minibosses [I haven't made it back to them yet].
I have not really been using many offensive items; I don't think I did even in Grandia II. *shrug* Every now and then I do, but I think I save them for when I "really" need them--and of course that time never comes.
I'm okay with cash, I think; I usually have enough saved up by the time I get through a map that I can buy pretty much everything I need. But I do spend almost all of it.

I almost never use offensive items in any RPG. Most of the time they're only really useful in the beginning, and, like you, I save them for "emergencies" that never come.