It's not a question we have to face every morning but it's critical in Heroes of Normandie (especially in Rogue and Skirmish modes). Heroes, regular units and extra items could be pricey, so optimizing your forces while respecting the budget allowed is your first move towards victory!
See below how you can recruit units and a few examples of US armies generated with 260/290 gold bars. Not too mention that there are a lot of other possibilities (and heroes not unveiled here :)).