Hi skinturtle, welcome to bitcoining....

I find coinbase to be the best way for me (and other people in the US) to move USD in and out of BTC. While it appears more expensive than say BTC-e, it really isn't when you consider the fees involved with getting money into BTC-e, not to mention the risks. (I've heard stories of the funs not arriving there -- who knows if they're true but for the me the peace of mind is worth a few extra dollars.)

Good luck!

t.