Yeah itīs normal. ESG will give you more flexibility and you donīt have problems with lacking Lv. X Lock Spheres. You can go with Tidus over Auronīs path and still learn Hastega/take Agility nodes for example (have stronger Tidus with same speed as on SSG). And about more money, i think itīs just because you played game second (?) time and knew what do there and there.