Just some tips regarding earning gold and carry weight restrictions:
1) Do the Horse races. The rewards are gold, saddles (they raise horse stamina; which makes winning the races easier, as Roach can gallop longer), and
Saddlebags (increased carry weight).
There are races in Velen, Novigrad "Zone" (The track is closer to Oxenfort. The "Erasumus-Vegelbud Derby"- Available from Hierarch Square noticeboard in Novigrad; and possibly the Oxenfort 'board, but iIam unsure on that one), Skellige, and there's one race in Hearts of Stone.
As with the Fist-fight questline, the Races are somewhat of a progression based on level/zone/Roach's ability to gallop.
Note that saddlebags are what you really want from these.
2)
Smuggler's Caches in the open water are a goldmine. Make sure your Crossbow is ready, and you're using the best Bolts (Underwater shooting is the way to go when farming these imo).
3) The "
Abandoned Sites" are good for loot AND XP, As long as they are at/near your level.
4) Once you reach Skellige, don't be afraid to use boats to travel. -Skellige has more Smugglers Caches than I've had hot dinners. AND the named weapon/armour drops from the chests typically yield some of the best named items you'll find (I had 25000 gold by level 32, and had only just made my first 3 mastercrafted "Bear School" gear set pieces).
There are a lot of nice named weapons and armour that are just drops out there in the Wilds.
PS. Witcher mastercrafted Speedo optional.
PSS. There is a fun and helpful item drop in Skellige called the "
*Hornwall Horn"*: If Harpies/Erinyes/Flying bitches give you trouble; this horn (when blown) will cause them to drop out of the sky. - Then one can make blood-ribbons out the of those damned flying screamers.
-The Horn is also a novelty item; as it can be blown...anywhere other than cutscenes.
*I hate spoils; but a tip is that it can be picked up during the quest with Hjalmar, or if one goes to complete the Master Armoursmith quest (same "locale").
