Choosing a Web Host

My brain hurts. I have spend months poring over possible web hosts, and I am no closer to deciding what to do. I have been thinking about buying my own domain, and choosing a web host, but I STILL have no idea what it is I am supposed to be looking for. I have NO idea how to create a web page, so there better be a web site building program or wizard to hold my hand. I want to host my blog, I want to be able to store photos and video and link to it, and I want to have a shopping cart for the stuff I sell. So, got any tips? Any recommendations? I am frugal (cheap), so I want the best I can get for less than an arm and a leg, or my first (and only) born. * This is all because I am tired of being dependent on bloggers servers and I just want my own shit. While you're at it, what is a good blogging platform? I am playing around with a word press one as well (www.ragdollsdomain.wordpress.com ), but if I can use blogger on my own site, then that is cool too.