It doesn’t really matter. I like to most of my work at night, but that’s mainly because it ensures privacy ( especially if I do a ritual outside ).
Some people believe rituals are more effective when performed at 3am, but you’d have to read around and make your own mind up there.
I would, yes. You’re asking for assistance so it’s only right to pay them. As you develop a friendship or come to serve a particular spirit, they may no longer ask anything more of you, but this is usually because they’re doing you a favour or you’re serving them in some other way already.
Think of pacts like a business contract. You’re hiring someone/ entering into an agreement with them, under the condition that you both uphold your end of the agreed contract.
From this perspective, any agreement with a spirit can be thought of like a pact. The only real variables are how long the agreement lasts for and what the conditions are.
So, yes. Pacts are the route to go.
That’s depends on what hurdles you have to overcome ( both within yourself, the world around you and your target ).
Magic is magic, at the end of the day. It is channelled will that creates an imbalance, which in turn creates changes in the world. Doesn’t matter whether it’s a spirit or person casting; the process is the same. ( There are a few exceptions, such as possessions and some aura work, but they’re very much the exception ).
Worrying about time is the wrong frame of mind to have. Think of it like this; the ritual has been cast; so therefore it’s worked; meaning that I’ve already got what I want; so there’s nothing to worry about.
You should read this thread:
You can so apply this style of thinking to explain why we may feel as though we should do more rituals ( because we’re worried the magic didn’t work ) even though it’s about to manifest very powerfully.
Read this too: ( specifically the section on obsession jars )