Using negative numbers in a database for tracking selection counts can lead to confusion in later queries or applications. It may also affect range checks when debugging or generating reports.
To optimize your WordPress site's performance while retaining necessary plugins, consider leveraging caching solutions like WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache, enabling them to serve static files to users which can drastically reduce loading times.
Implementing caching mechanisms like OPcache or Memcached significantly reduces PHP execution time by storing precompiled scripts and accelerating data retrieval from the database.