Check jenny183's shear tests, screws handle twist way better. Nails worked for old houses, but modern codes need that extra grip.

Check your fluid levels every other week instead. My 7.3 leaks maybe half a quart between changes. I just add a little and keep driving. Spending a weekend pulling parts to stop a stain on the driveway is how you find the next, worse leak. As long as the puddle isn't growing, just top it off and call it a feature. Fixing every weep turns a truck into a hobby.

Man, that takes the cake. At a craft fair once, someone seriously asked if I could forge a full set of plate armor for their dachshund. I stared at them for a full minute trying to figure out if it was a joke. Stuff like what @spencerross mentioned just short circuits your brain mid-demo. I totally get how it wrecks your focus. I think my brain blue-screened just picturing the measurements for that little dog. You just have to nod and hope they wander off before you burn something.

Pick up some quick oats from a market for breakfast. Just add hot water from the kettle and you've got a meal for pennies, avoiding the crazy hotel markup. That alone funds a couple extra nights out exploring.