I find a cheap way of storing coins is acid free paper envelopes Sophie. Not as handy as the transparent plastic ones, I admit, but simple to just pop a coin in (particularly if it's a 'minor' in the collection and you're unlikely to want to re-examine it very often) and you can just write straight on them as to the contents.. I had a check and Chris P doesn't seem to have any but Colin Cooke do at I think £3 for 100.
Acetone? As well as ebay, some chemists stock small bottles too. I think I got mine in Cox & Robinson.
Traditionally, collectors used to use small paper discs (we call them 'tickets') to record the details of their collection ... and some, like me (and presumably Rob) still do. (See Rob's thread on them here: Ticket Central) I find them both handy and a nice link to a coin's past as a collectable when there are other tickets from earlier collectors with it. Chris DOES stock those (card coin ID tickets)
Oh, and finally, welcome and have fun!