That sinking feeling when a transaction fails

Man, I just had a rough one. Tried to zap into a new farm during some heavy network congestion, set the gas way too low trying to be thrifty, and watched it spin for ages before finally failing. Burned about $80 in gas for absolutely nothing. It stings every time. Anyone else have a horror story like that? What’s your strategy now to avoid these expensive mistakes? I’m all ears for any tips on timing or tools you use to gauge the network before sending.