Does anybody else feel like you should start with money?

[DaltonRaccoon]

A possible solution is to make shops guarantee to stock really cheap, but really bad versions of certain must-have items. Ones you'd want to replace ASAP, but when you're level 1 and only have 15-25 gold to spend, they're good enough to get you started.

Something like, Infusion of Movement (200%, dur 3), Wand of Clairvoyance (Power 6, recharge 10), etc.

Obviously these are TERRIBLE items, but they could be in shops for like 5g a piece. They'd be unnecessary on normal, but on nightmare and up they'd tide you over long enough to clear a dungeon or two and have the money to invest in real gear. making them guaranteed shop spawns also prevents people from going "Well, no speed infusions in shops. Time to suicide and restart".