I believe the jack points along the pinch weld are specific so I don't think you can "jack anywhere" on the pinch weld.
I don't know about jacking one side and then the other, I have always just gone from the middle.
If you look for a floor jack you should be able to find something that isn't too expensive. I see sets of jack and 2 jackstands for under $50 all the time.
Hope that's helpful.
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