re: $74/month for guitar lessons?

It's not a great deal but it's not unreasonable either. I would say that's about avg/slightly above avg. One word of advice, dont take lessons for an extended period of time. You should have the basics down in less than 3 months if you play a decent amount every day. With technology today, you can teach yourself how to play and will develop your own flavor of playing instead of being shaped and molded by an instructor. Another tip, developing rhythm is essential so it should be a main focus. The first thing I always asked any student was if they could dance. If you can dance a little, this should be no problem. If you cant dance, then you will have to really focus on this.