I don't add a whatever-it-is to t, but I make sure the cross is higher than on +. My z and 2 are different enough. I might write x differently than most, here is my x (when written as a variable) vs. my x (when written as multiplying, although I don't do that too often):
_ _
\/ \/
_/\_ /\
If you can't tell from the amazing ASCII art, I do the strokes in the same order for both them, but I make my variable x with things on the edges.