Going thru a wiring harness yourself and verifying it's ok and upgrading as need be, is not *skimping". You do your own upgrades as you go.
I ran a redundant hot for my alternator that doesn't go thru a blade connection besides cleaning up that connector as best as I could.
I also eliminated every fusible link that my truck originally had, by incorporating a small under hood fuse box from a newer vehicles, that has the big MAXI fuses. Everything is soldered crimped and hear shrink wrapped. With the more expensive heat shrink that has the adhesive built in. I found a few bucks and rotted insulation, I replaced several sections of wire, basically anything that I had the least amount of questions about got cut out and replaced.