Let me start off by saying this is one of the best games i have ever played.

I have restarted my character a couple times just because I can never seem to get it right. The difficulty of the game is not the problem but I can never get quality items that are suited for my character. Most of the items I pick up are for mages. Im trying to find stuff for my Nord-head-crusher.

I also find that I never have enough money to buy the house in Whiterun to store stuff as im always having to leave stuff behind or the merchants dont have money to pay me.

Just some tips would be helpful. What should I do differently ? I know I am going to start over again but a little advice from people who have been plaing the series longer than I have would be nice. This is my first Elders Scroll game I've played.

Another thing I would like to know.....Lock picking..................What the F is the secret? I break all my lockpicks and can never find any. Seriously. Is there a trick to it or do I just need practice?
Thanks

This is the secret to lock picking my friend
http://www.skyrimnexus.com/downloads/file.php?id=219

why restart because some loot isnt what you need? enemy mages drop mage loot, enemy warriors drop warrior loot ect... sell what you dont need, make stuff for yourself if you have too, if you want a glass warhammer lvel smithing and make it.

You and I are in the same boat.

This is also my first TES game (I played Oblivion for about an hour at a friends house, but not enough to become immersed in it). I picked Nord because it seemed like that was the most likely race to become a "warrior" type player. I'm assuming that the early game items svck on purpose, but I did find some decent armor as loot within an hour or two. I've just been crafting my own stuff in Riverwood. It's not "awesome" yet, but it'll do for how I play.

As for lockpicking - trial and error unfortunately in the early part of the game until you buff your character enough to waste a few points on lockpicking skill. Move the LS around to a spot and very very gently move the RS. You will either be allowed to move the lock, or there will be vibration. Vibration = bad. Don't forget to try RS first before moving the LS. Also, I don't know what causes the picks to break, whether it's enough "bad" tries, or if it's just "you svck at this... haha, snap." I'm assuming there's a "damage" to the pick depending on how far away from the correct area you are? Enough damage and snap?

The lock picking is just like Fallout New Vegas, you "zero" in with the left hand (left thumbstick) and turn the lock with your right. The right tuhmbstick is only for turning the lock, nothing else. If the lock wiggles but has no give, you need to find another "spot" with the left thumbstick. Depending on your lock picking skill, the lock pick will break when more easily when not in the right spot. You can tell the closer you're getting to finding the "sweet spot" by watching the lock turn more and more to the side without breaking the lockpick. The better your skill, the more "deadzone" there is for error without breaking your picks.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

I didn't play New Vegas either, but just from the few times I've picked locks, that seems right. I can't comment on higher level lockpicking - haven't invested points in it yet. Is it worth it? Will the loot be worth the use of the points to buff it up?

In Dragon Age II, I wasted umpteen points on cunning as my rogue, and it only came in handy twice. 50 points to unlock "master" chests, and I got one achievement, and one cool piece of armor (which was replaced literally 10 minutes later : |

Here's a few tips: select what you take from corpses, try to take what's expensive AND light. Go through various vendors, or if needed simply wait: sell everything you have until the vendor has no money, wait for like 3 days, and sell again. (I never had to do that but... if it's really something you need badly). Do sidequests, they give a lot of money, one end quest of a long chain will actually reward you with 20 000 gold...

As for lockpicking, well the loot can be nice... sometimes. But with practice and enough picks you can open master chests with lvl 20 lockpicking... That's what I did... So I wouldn't say power leveling it is needed.

The later lockpicking perks...maybe, but you can sit at a high level chest and as long as you have the lockpicks to waste, you can up your skill very fast. So to answer you question, no I don't think the lockpick tree is worth it.