I've read a lot of gold guides, and most of them suggest the same things.
For example, I have yet to find a Mining guide that didn't suggest smelting ore, and selling the bars for profit. Or buying/crafting low level greens, and disenchanting them.
Thing is, on my server, ore almost invariable sells for more than bars, and low level dusts and shards sell for next to nothing.
Ultimately, I think this is a result of way to many 80s reading way to many gold guides.
What's things like on your server?