Oppps, won a ticket, can't refund so playing outside roll

So I quit poker for a few years after Black Friday. I'm grinding a roll back up with whatever money I had left on the few sites US players can still use. I have been playing micros and small cash games to grind back up.

The small satellite rebuy tourneys offer some really attractive odds for buying in late because the add-ons tend to be for significantly more chips than the rebuys. I satellited into a $109 and the site doesn't offer any way to refund or transfer the ticket.

My default mindset is to just play it like any tourney, but given the opportunity and the small roll I'm working with, I might be better served playing just to squeak into the money.

Any advice?

Play it to win it.

I play to squeak into the money, then after money is guaranteed, I play to win. I mean with your ticket for $109, you can grind an awfully long time at the ring games.

Yesterday I had enough chips to money, then I get a good hand and I hear that voice, play to win. I do an all in and sure enough a big stack takes me out even though I have more chips than everyone else but the solo player who calls me. If I sit out until I was ITM, I would have won some easy money.
Today, same thing. I have enough chips to eventually ITM. I could play some big hands but instead chose to go to the store with the daughter and come home delighted with the funds added to my account. With some of the won funds, gonna enter the FlopTurnRiver tourney this week and try to turn it into even more $$$.
I'll be dang if I am going to play three hours yesterday and three hours today to have nothing to show for it.

In general you have to play to win because tournaments by nature are top-heavy. But there is no shame in folding hands if the bubble is significant. There are still surprisingly bad players in these $109s but there are also some really tough players. Much more so than in a $5.50 or $11 or what your comfort-zone is. I don't get how you can just let yourself get blinded out though, once you're ITM you can play to win again. You'll probably be short-stacked but you've come so far and the real money is only at the end so why not give it a shot.

Played it pretty standard, stayed a med-big stack through the first few hours then ran kings into aces pre-flop outside the money. In the future I'll avoid satelliting into satellites for satellites.

Ouch, tough break. I'm in the same situation with non-refundable ticket.
I plan to tighten up a bit and get that ITM.
Now I'm hoping I don't get KK out of money
Not really, even with this prize money I gotta play KK.
That's just another great thing about Stars, you can exchange the ticket for tournament $.

nothing wrong to tighten up a bit (pretty sure everyone says to loosen up tho) to get into the money, but you still have to play good spots to try an accumulate chips when everyone else is tight. Blinding out/forced to shove right at the bubble is a horrible spot to be put in, don't let yourself get there.

Play it to win it and that's all there is....I mean variance happens!!

First of all, definitely play in it! It doesn't matter how much the buy-in is, since you aren't actually paying the buyin then it's like a freeroll. Just play it like you would play any other tourney, hopefully you run good and get ITM