I think you've just got to see it from your own standpoint. Far from being an expert on LN technology, topology etc., but I think I just want to learn and is a motivation.

I think the main distinction missed, is that, you can route payments, and make a small profit if you keep your node running, liquidity managed but if you think it's less useful to learn such things then you could open and close (public) channels when needing to make payments. Keep (public) channels open for a longer duration if you think it useful.

You could look at if private channels with intimate contacts would be helpful. I think that would be one way to help a network (your own intimate network) where payments can be passed back and forth. There's also a learning curve to understanding but less need to keep your node liquidity or up time managed as those channels are not advertised to the LN.

edit* I'm sure you can also make a sizable loss, as a node routing payments. So, best to avoid that too.