Experiment with the flaps while you are a few mistakes high. Lowering the flaps will change the elevator trim, also it may change the stall characteristics. My Burrito develops a tendency to tip stall when flapperons are down.

As mentioned above, properly designed flaps lower the stall speed and, for larger flap deflections, increase drag. It is common in full-scale trainers to take off with around 10 degrees flaps (so they can take off at a lower speed) and to land with 10 to 30 degrees flaps. The Cessna 150 has 40 degrees of flaps and when extended to 40 degress a pilot can put the nose down to a steep angle without picking up speed. This is useful for landing over obstacles onto a short field. But this gives so much drag that pilots can get themselves in trouble when forced to abort a landing approach.... with full power they are barely able to climb out.