No need to be ashamed or look at your shoes! We have all been there at one time or another, whether it was carbines, cars, or electronics. Before i was computer savy, I bought an ungodly expensive set up, only to find later I paid four times what it was worth! At least you were smart enough to ask for help before it was too late.
My advise for a first carbine is a basic mix-master post war rebuild shooter. Gunbroker is full of them. The market is high right now, but nice ones can be had for under $900 (some under $800)
I am not a GI carbine snob. Iver Johnson and Plainfield made decent aftermarket carbines which can be had for about 1/2 to 2/3 the cost of a GI if money is an issue. DO NOT but Universal Carbines! While the very first ones were OK and use lots of GI parts, most of the later one are not interchangeable with GI parts, and the latest ones were absolutely unsafe, able to fire with the bolt out of battery.
Auto Ordnance/Kahr carbines are priced the same as USGI, but are inferior with cast receivers, and they do not have parts interchangeability with some GI parts. Early ones were junk with severe quality control issues (I know this from personal experience). I have heard they have improved, but why pay as much for an Auto Ordnance, as a GI which will never loose value and is a piece of history, only to loose value.
