If stopped in traffic..unless your planning on eating lunch there, leave it in gear until it's your turn to proceed. remember to wait until it's your turn..sorry i couldn't resist. Also the cost of ownership of an automatic transmission is simply the serviceing for most owners as opposed to the new clutch at regular intervals. Your auto transmission is no more fragile than the rest of your car and after a short time I'm certain you will come to appreciate the convenience of it and the constant shifting up and down and neutral and clutching and stalling and clutch jobs will just be fond memories...Happy Holidays.
Brian