Hey mate 😄

I think you are doing great!
Have fun on your way through the Splinterlands.

Here are a few little tips:
Shopping is best done through "external" sites (the links at the top of the marketplace page).
I buy through https://monstermarket.io , there I get 60% of the fees back on HIVE Engine.
This is definitely worth it over time. 😁

Otherwise, maybe try to buy Summoner cards first.
The monster cards on higher levels only bring you something if you have summoners on a corresponding level.

Therefore, it is not always worth combining the cards.