Have you only used bleach thus far? If you have not yet added any CYA, you could still follow the SS Recipe. It is just a simple way to build up CYA using Dichlor while adding chlorine. (Does the Leslie's Dichlor say 55 or 56% chlorine? If so, then it is fine to use.) (By the way, dichlor is granular, not tabs.)

You are right that if you do decide to use dichlor, when you get your CYA to the level you want, then you just switch to using bleach so your CYA doesn't get too high.
If you follow the chlorine levels in the chart at this link, your pool will be properly sanitized and will also keep algae at bay. http://pool9.net/cl-cya/

As far as Amazon goes, have you ever heard of Amazon Prime? For $99 per year, you get free shipping on products they stock and also delivery within two days. If you shop a lot at Amazon, you'll get your money's worth. I know I save way more on the free shipping costs in a year than my $99.