In universe....I don't think he does. "We" just don't see it. A LOT of episodes have a line where some characters are TALKING about Odo shapeshifting "Oh he caught the Nassican Smugglers by turning into a three headed Karmdozian razor hawk".

Out of Universe...sure the cost was a factor. Plus a lot of it looked bad...the horrible 90 computer animation.

*Though the BIG problem is: Odo is a Demigod. Just like Data. So the Writers have to forget about him. Odo is immune to physical weapons, so they need to forget that. Odo can't be knocked out with the 'magic TV off button'....but he, of course is..wink wink. Odo can escape and spy easy. And win every fight. And Remember Odo can shape change PERFECTLY into anything except a humanoid.....

This can work out great for streaming...and solve the "short show problem". Make TWO shows for each setting. So you'd have, for example, Star Trek: Explorer A and Star Trek Explorer B.

Star Trek: Explorer A would be the command staff, but they would not go 'away' much and would have much more administrative roles. Still plenty of action and adventure, but more "cerebral".

Star Trek: Explorer B would be the middle ranks, and the ones that go on the away missions. They dodge ray beams, fight aliens and all that stuff.

Each show would be "made" independently, but they would use the same sets (ohh, saves money) and each of the casts could guest star on the other show sometimes.

And...with good writing EACH episode is BOTH a stand alone episode AND a two part episode. So you don't "need" to watch both episodes to get the story....but the story is enhanced if you do.

To use TNG as an example for know characters:

Star Trek A: The Enterprise goes to Ceti Beta Cappa Seven. A Federation world that has developed a new AI that the government of the planet is obeying blindly as they think it is 'the best'. But now the AI has ordered the killing of the blue skinned subrace. So this is Picard, Riker, Troi and Crusher talking and negotiation with the officials. To not blindly follow the AI and think for themselves. Data adds in the 'planet AI' is not 'alive, like him". Worf shows how instincts and nature is important. At the end they convince the government to destroy the AI and go back to normal. Our B cast guest stars for two minutes as they leave to go to the offical reception on the planet.

Star Trek B - The ship arrives at the planet 'seven', and the A cast get short 'send offs' to the B crew: Lieutenant Commander Nella Daren ,Lieutenant Sandra Rhodes, Lieutenant Diana Giddings, and Lieutenant, B.G. Robinson. On the planet they go to the celebration...get caught by the rebels (while 'the ship thinks they are out parting') and have to fight the AI. Then they find out the government want to turn off the AI(see other episode..)...but it's fighting back. So they help..and save the day.

The whole "River of Time" and "Set Events" and "Destiny" in Time Travel goes back to..well forever. And it has already been part of Star Trek from TNG on.

We don't see any worse then Raffi on Earth or most of the 'modern' Federation. Raffi chose to live that way. I guess all the people that choose to live in "small" deluxe apartments might be "less" then Raffi's trailer.

A lot of space stations, like Jupiter Station, many space Starbases, and nearly all Starships don't have that much 'space'. So if you choose to live on one, you just get small luxury quarters. People like Mr.Mot the Barber or the servers in Ten Forward on the Enterprise-D chose to live there

A lot of the Colony worlds choose a Simple Life, where they do nearly everything the old fashioned way.....but even then they still have all the 24th comforts, they just choose not to do it. And I'm sure that growing some food is "fun", but that they still call out to the replcator for food. And sure you can 'make' charcoal...or you can just say 'a five pound bag of charcoal".