Newbie travel trailer buyer question - to slide out or not

I didn't use the slide itself (mine was the dinette) when it was retracted. I could get past the slide to the bathroom and fridge with the slide retracted. Then back to the bed to nestle in for sleep. On my way home after my mechanism broke, it was a quick overnight stop in a Wal-Mart parking lot - get some grub, get some sleep, move on. I wasn't hanging out.