start on very easy, then bump the difficulty back up.
it's not that much more money, but it's something.
Don't know if this has been reported yet but in 0.92b, re-loading a save seems to remove the effects of perks. I took "Mind, Body & Soul" for the faster training it gives (+4 at max happiness) but when I reloaded a save from that start, I only got the usual +3 at the library and gym.
Also, a small feature request: when traveling to chase GeoAnon work orders, most of the production interface is inaccessible from the office. This prevents you from buying sets/studios, assigning staff/equipment, etc... Actual production can still be scheduled at studios you've already built, but only through the Work Orders page; that's assuming there's an open work order though.
Perhaps there are valid game play reasons to lock this away since you're supposed to be away from the country. But even then, I think it's worth making this available if you have a Right Hand PA: it sounds like this day-to-day stuff should be in their job description. Or maybe the production PA; that would also make some sense.