FFVIII, use draw and if you can't work it out yet, auto-junction. If I remember correctly float works well too, but it's a long time since I really used magic on FFVIII. Keep Squall on low health and use Renzokuken for easy wins though.

FFIX, do the Chocobo Forest side quest, and level up around that forest too. Actually not sure how useful the quest is before you get through the Grotto, but it's worth starting. If you haven't already, get Quina and learn a lot of it's blue magic. Keep well stocked up on items.

Haven't played tactics, so recommend spending the time you would completing that going out and finding a copy of FFVII.