I'm certianly no expert, and have been only flying for about a year. I am a BIG believer in the simulator though, for many reasons. First, they are a TON of fun.. you can experiment with different airplane types, high winds, etc, etc, etc.. Although a dirt cheap foamy will be inexpensive to replace/fix you will have a much easier time getting a firm opinion on which thumb you should be moving with the simulator.. The sim is a great way to get your thumbs into an "instinctual" state without risking your plane..

I've been using Real Flight 3.5 and fly it almost every day.. Good luck with whatever road you take!