An idea that was given to me by the Angels of Omnipotence Elubatel, Ebuhuel, and Atuesuel is that money is the physical means of manifesting occult power. This aligns with your thoughts, which I agree with, that if you focus on what you want to manifest in your life and not as much on the money, then you can manifest money or other means of physical manifestation to get that thing or experience.
I am also of the mind to rail against the religion of hard work, EFFFOOORTTTTTTTT. I prefer efficiency. Usually the “hard worrrrrrkkkkkkk” types are just inefficient, even if they are technically effective, sort of. I just like to remember that magick does need pathways of manifestation, and sometimes, that means taking action to open pathways for financial manifestation, like starting a business or being smarter at work.
That being said, if you do focus on money itself with your magick, and commit to that as a pathworking, there can be great rewards, and I say that from personal experience, not just magick theory hypothetical talk.
I like money and do not see this as some laborious task which must be undertaken to have the freedom to live my life. The ability to improve and increase one’s finances with magick, and to do so to rather extreme lengths, as I have done, is both fascinating and wonderful to me and definitely not something I would choose to pass on when it comes to the options that are available to me in magickal practice.
And just to align with the energy, I recommend the book 7 Occult Money Rituals. It is the financial energy that works well for me. Comprehensive, yet low time commitment and effective. It has taken me on a journey which resulted in me being where I am today, with many moments throughout which were obviously, undoubtedly, caused by magick.