You can make a decent amount of money right from the start just by robbing everyone blind, even with zero points in Lockpicking and Sneak. I don't think it's particularly necessary to start out with a significant amount of money.
Of course, the problem is that eventually you run out of things to steal, and then it's quite possible to be screwed. So I do agree with the complaints about the unreliable vendors and low drop rates. At least one of these two problems needs to be addressed, preferably both. Random chance being a factor isn't a problem, but right now your entire ability to build a decent party hinges on it, and that's a bit too much.
