Welcome from a subscriber of 3 months (although I've been playing for a couple of years now).
You'll get some great help from GT - I wish I'd found it when I first started!
What you are experiencing is what everybody I've ever known who took up guitar found.
As far as your finger tips are concerned, it's just a case of grin and bear it. You'll find that after a couple of weeks your skin will harden and the pain will be gone (unless you stop playing for a few weeks).
When it comes to practicing, I find it best to keep on for as long as you can
maintain concentration otherwise you won't be taking anything in and will just be wasting your time and it will become a chore.
I am sure that you could sppend a lifetime with this site and not absorb all the information available.
Hope this helps.
Dave