I recommend using NearlyFreeSpeech to register and manage one-off domains for simple services, if you can. Their interface is self-serve, the fees are barely higher than their costs, and basic hosting couldn't get more straightforward.
>>TimThe+(OP)
+1 for NFSN. It's not for newbies, but the FAQ is comprehensive, and the service as a whole is dang good. It treats me well for my many tiny projects that I want to put online and cost me near nothing.