Why Did I Become A Coin Collector?

Of course that is the main thing here. YES you are out of your league. We here are all fantastic, extreamely knowlegable, intelligent, filthy Rich, very Modest and even kind of smart.
Every one you meet here, at coin shows, at coin stores and even on the street if you ask them about coins, they will always know more than you. Us super stars of coins do this purposely so we always have someone to look down on.
In reality what I suggest you do is spend more time on ebay, other coin dealer web sites, go to a few coin stores, a few coin shows. Get to know what is what for prices in the real world. All the coin magazines and on line web sites for coin prices are guides. Just guides. Sort of like driving instructions on how to get somewhere. You don't have to follow those either and many times they too are all messed up. They are just guides to how much someone else thinks a coin is worth and they are usually wrong.
As to what to do with your coins once you purchasaed them. What you do is probably what most people do with anything they buy for a hobby purpose similar to coins. For example those Beanie Babies. Just how many people ever went back and studied each one in their collection? Those that collected those Hot Wheel cars and had or still have thousands of them. How many do you think go back and try each wheel?
With coins for instance, I've got well over 3,000 Mercury dimes. Many are in 12 Whitman Albums, many in those plastic tubes, some in 2x2's. Just how many do you think I go back and study? None for a long, long time.
When I go to a coin show and see a coin I think I want, need or would like to have, regardless of what may be on that coin for a price, I always ask what is really your best price. If it's not what I feel like paying, I either say can't you do better or just walk away.
You have to remember that buying a ooin is like buying a house. The owner asks a price. You counter with your price. The owner again counters with his new price. You continue this until every one is happy. SOMETIMES.

Several issues here!

First, I think Coin Values has really improved over the past year. Their retail prices are much more in line with reality than they were the previous 5 or so years. Another good source of retail prices is Numismedia Fair Market Value (http://www.numismedia.com/fmv/fmv.shtml). For under $14 you can get the set of the 7 most recent Greysheets covering every series so you can see wholesale prices, too (http://www.greysheet.com/web_order/...ial_form.asp .

Second, it has been my experience that well over half the time "knowledge" is an opinion stated with firm conviction. "Experts" provide wrong (or only partially correct) information a surprising amount of the time. Take heart! While there will always be many collectors with more experience, there will always be many with less. To many, you qualify as an expert.

Third, we all have different reasons that we became coin collectors. My grandfather collected coins, and I became fascinated with their history. I prefer circulated classic coins. Some really like the artistry and aesthetics of coins, and prefer MS and Proof coins. (This sounds like it may be your focus.)

Fourth, while I do like to look at my coins, I seldom break out the loupe. (And if I do, I then have to re-evaluate the grade I've assigned. I could easily spend all my time grading and re-grading my old coins!)

Fifth, I can't help you with haggling strategies. I'm REALLY lousy at it.