On your first and last points, my general rule is that I either work for my full rate or for free. I find it much simpler and less stressful to make a clean div

On your first and last points, my general rule is that I either work for my full rate or for free. I find it much simpler and less stressful to make a clean divide between things I'm doing because I believe in them, and things I'm doing because I want to make a comfortable living and advance my business. In the middle territory, no one wins. You'll have expectations placed on you because you're being paid something, but it won't be enough for you to put in a professional level of focus. When you do these kinds of projects for free instead, you get a lot of goodwill in return and you aren't burdened by unrealistic expectations that can add stress and interfere with your bottom line. It also forces you to decide if it's really something you believe in, or just a sub-par arrangement that you're getting pressured into.