Goddarn, that game is unplayable without a guide! Pay too little, you get screwed, pay too much, you get fecked! I gave up, but you are absolutely correct in that the game is absolutely anti-capitalist. Maybe too much, as I described earlier, because one does not want to play it! All in all, you are absolutely right!
Now, if you want a fun monetary Tingle game, try Irozuki Tingle no Koi no Balloon Trip. It has an excellent fan translation nowadays!