This is particularly true in Europe. I knew a minor league pro from Germany who had a nice desk job 20 hours a week and was paid to race for the company team the other 20 hours a week. These kinds of jobs are easier with minor league pro racing because medium to small business who cannot afford a national level pro team can sponsor a local pro team if the riders work some to help out the company. Unfortunately, most countries have not thought of even trying the minor league pro system that has made Europe so dominant in cycling and a rider has to work full time to pay bills until he can get good enough to make a pro team. This doesn't help the athletes as well as the minor league pro system and fewer potential champions will make it to the pro level.
Finances are the single biggest problem faced by aspiring athletes around the world.
You can help defray some of your racing expenses by getting some kind of equipment sponsorship as soon as possible. Another thing you can do is get over the equipment thing and just start out on a decent bike until you reach the level where you can get sponsorship. I saw this system used very well in Mexico when I first started racing. The beginning racers were always given the worn out junker bikes to learn on. They often raced on stuff like Sears ten speeds while being watched by the teams.