Medieval, because in those days, you could make a living as a wandering minstrel, or a craftsman, It was a lot easier to make cash than it is today
*Scoffs at you arrogantly while putting his booted foot on the bent back of a peasent*
forsooth my fellow knave, methinks you should re-examine ye-old texts, for the coin of an ungodly man not blessed with either the title of Lord or Duke earned but a pathetic pittance barely sustainable.
Lo many a peasent died on a regular basis, and even ye comical minstrels were forced to pay golden homage to the Lord of whatever realm he patronized.
Preadventure were you one of these Lords or Dukes then the image you conjure for yourself may be closer to your desired reality.
in fact, to all those blind, bedeviled, souls who dream of riches at a time when there were none for commoners such as yourselves, mayhap it be a wiser decision to "travel" to a more prosperous time.