Howdy Belter,
Let's see if we can't clear the haze a bit and get you back to scrappin' with maximal efficiency, shall we?
1. The intended opposite of "It's worth more than I first imagined" is "It's not worth more than I first imagined." Plenty of things that can make that Payday worth less in the Oracles and Threats and even based on where you put your airlock, but the Payday move isn't out to hurt you like that. It's either +2 or +0.
2. So long as you've got somewhere to stick those goodies when you get back to your airlock, you can carry over resources. If you've got Grit/Gear/Gas in your Hold and you need some when you call it quits? Hell yeah, top up. If you got a Spares Bank, so much the better. But if you've got more than you can use or store in your Spares Bank, best just to sell them for the quick cred and buy Bits later.
Bonus Round: You assume correct. People start asking uncomfortable questions and the dockside techs stop wanting to work on your deathtrap if you start cutting on the poor bird in port. That's a tactic of desperation and improvisational genius, not a standard operating procedure. Usable only during the Bird phase like the most of the Special Features.
Hope that's a little clearer for you, Belter. Thanks for the wave. We'll see you out there on the float.
Chariot out.