First time buying a smartphone. Could really use some help/advice.

[intrepidity]

7. My advice would be to start with a cheap prepaid phone

You can get one for like $40.

This will let you get familiar with everything for awhile, to determine your use and preferences, so you can make a better informed decision on a more expensive option later on.

I was in your position about 5 years ago, and I still haven't been able to decide what to get as my "permanent" (lol, as if that's even a thing these days with phones) setup; so I'm still using the $40 phone, reupping the $35/month prepaid plan (Verizon).

Although, a couple years ago I *did* get a second cheap phone because I needed one that could use my home wifi signal for making phone calls (I live in a dead zone--no cell service.) The upside was that my old phone is now just an internet browsing device.

(That assumes you have wifi at your home?)

Your questions aren't dumb at all.