Starting A Whitman US Type Album (20th & 21-St Century)

Excellent and good luck!

I agree. My Dansco 7070 took almost 30 years to complete.

For type sets (which are the only ones I've got albums for), I've been known to do some upgrades when I found a coin that I decided would make a better candidate for the hole (especially when the original was just absolutely crappy) - in particular, for some modern coins, I initially just stuck a random coin in to avoid leaving a hole for a type I obviously had, and then found/received a coin in actually decent condition.

I don't think I ever specifically searched for upgrades, though, except (I guess) in a few cases where I happened to have a particular very common date/type only in really bad condition and knew I could get a better one easily.
(Think "my only 1964 nickel has road rash on it" kind of situation, where it's awkward to keep the hole empty but even more awkward to keep that coin in there permanently.)

For circulation date sets, I try to keep a list of which dates I currently only have in VF or worse (and consequently newly found examples should be checked for possible upgrades), but obviously active upgrade hunting isn't really an option. I do also try to save nice old AU coins, but I don't really keep a list of which dates I have in AU.

Here is my set: http://goccf.com/t/395066

Upgrades do make sense when filling holes from circulation, rolls, or other finds. It has been a few decades, but I am sure I upgraded coins in my early sets as I found better examples in my change. However, when purchasing coins I am thinking one and done.

Everyone needs to play by their own rules. If you like to upgrade, then do it! I have no objective argument against it.

My wife got interested in collecting too so she started out with completing one of these 20th and 21st century type sets. That takes her from modern day back to the Barber Series. Then I encouraged her to use some of my old proof set lenses to assemble a seated series type set and a capped bust type set. About as early that she can afford without getting into the more expensive draped bust coinage. Nothing wrong with a coin assortment in cardboard 2x2's with a binder page.