Well it looks like you are on your way Brian. And yes it does cost money but as you said a little at a time. I would do the basics like Reg's set up and that will get you out of trouble. You might of noticed that here on FTE we aint a big fan of the "off the shelf" tuners such as edge and banks. Yes they work but once you compare it against a tuner that is specifically set up for whats on your truck you will understand. It does take a bit more of your time to set up but the benefits are worth it and you will have the piece of mind that your power is derived from other factors than just advancing timing.
oh and btw there aint nothing wrong with the K&N conical filter its the square one you want to avoid.