I really want a pet Budgie but need some answers first

[chowmein]

hi people. i love animals, especially anything that can fly. and since bats are illegal as pets here, i can only get birds. im hoping for a blue parakeet... :}

my questions are:

one site said that these birds are prone to respiratory infections. is this true, or is it they get them more easier than other birds? because when i hear 'prone' i think like something that happens every so often.

and also getting the wings clipped. in all honesty, im against it. to me its like tying a kids feet together so it wont get hurt. the sites said to clip the wings together so it wont get hurt my ceiling fans or toilets (uh...why would a bird be in a toilet?) and kitchen areas. but with my situation, having 4 cats, the only place thats safe to take it is my room, where it will stay.

expenses. how much does the stuff for them cost? i have no problem with getting the money for the cages and toys,food, and stuff, but i was just wondering if anyone had an estimate.

taming. the web said that taming is easy. is it? if it requires patience then im set. i have all the time in the world and i cant sit with animals for hours (people, not so much...)

grit? you know the stuff you have to give some brids to help them digest? do they need it? i have two zebra finches and they dont, so i was kinda hoping for another bird that doesn't. but if not, o well.

noise. how noisy are they? i don't have a problem with the noise, i just want to know.

messy eaters. my finches are terribly messy. i have to vacuum my floor daily. how messy are they?

lifespan. internet said 15-20 years. accurate?

spazzing.? my finches freak every time i stick my hand in their cage. will these?

flying around. once i have it tame, and coming to my call, would it be safe to let it fly around my room? theyres no cats in here during the day, and it should be asleep at night. nothing sharp for it to land on (trust me i'd probably hurt myself with it too )

toys. i spent like $10 on toys for my finches (thats a lot considering where i get the toys theyre like 50 cents) do they use toys? i don't want to waste money if they dont.

nest. i bought my finches a couple nest. they didn't use any of them except as a toilet. what kind of nest will it require? the only ones that i can buy premade are wicker and bamboo. or can it make it's own if i give it supplies?

music. will it mind if i play my music? my finches hate it and i put them on the back porch for sunning time while i listen.

and finally:

breeder or petstore?

my friend has a friend that breeds all sorts of birds and rodents. and my friend trust him with a baby gerbil of hers, so i can trust him. (she wont let her own mother touch her gerbils)

a teacher at the high school where i go breeds all sorts of birds. not sure if he has this kind though. he mostly does finches.

and petsmart. i tend to trust petsmart. so im stuck. theyre all around the same price.

any answers are appreciated.