My CAR!!--Help Me Please!!

Okay, so here is my problem...I have a 1996 Dodge Stratus. I have owned it for about 2 years. I only paid like 2700.00 for it because it had like 94,000 miles when I bought it. It now has like 116,000, but since I have bought it I have had nothing but problems. I stuck like 2,000 in the first year and about 1,000 this year. The problem w/ used cars is that you don't know how the last owner took care of them. I just recently put in spark plugs and wires, because it was missing so bad. And before that it kept blowing the starter fuse, which the mehanic told we was because of the cylonid cap on the inside of the starter, something about building up extra current and causing the fuse to blow. But I am still having problems. It seemed like when I got it back it would steer harder, like the wheel was tighter, harder to turn...my mom said it could be a serpentine belt, but it's tough to tell. Okay, but this is just a start to the list of problems that I have. The RPM's sometimes seem like they are running high?? I don't know if that makes sense, but like when I am driving it is like my car forgets to shift, so the RPM's go up higher but it shifts of it's own doing...you have to remember I am a girl and a dumb one at that, I am so desperate to see if someone out their can give me some advice because they always want to hook me up to the computer and I just don't make a lot of money to waste on "what-ifs".
My car also recently has decided to die when I shift from reverse to drive, if I give it gas it tends to not do that, so I am thinking maybe it's a fuel related issue, like a fuel filter? It also sounded like something cracked in it the other day and now it's quite the boucny ride, do these cars have struts or shocks and about how much is that going to be? I could just cry, because I am so frustrated, I am hoping the tax time ferry is good to me and I can address these problems!! But any help anyone out there can give me would be super!!

Thank you!

Check your power steering fluid first for the steering problem. The first step to take for the transmission problems is to do a flush and fill on the transmission, and change the filter. Use only Mopar ATF+4 fluid, and if you have someone else do it, make sure they only use Mopar ATF+4 fluid, mechanics will try to tell you that Pennzoils fluid is the same, or that you can use Dexron III, you can't, insist they use the right stuff. And finally, your car uses struts in the front and shocks in the rear.

Wow, looks like you got a lemon. You might want to count your losses and buy yourself a reliable car. Seriously, a 1999 chevy malibu goes for about 3500 used, and my mom had one for about 3 years now, and nothing has gone wrong with it. Sorry I cant help you with your questions.