Tasty Extract Cream Ale to PM or AG

I am just getting into homebrewing. It is so addictive! I just popped open the first bottle of an extract cream ale batch and it was excellent. Besides having more control over flavors what are the pros of switching to grain. If the extract bre is good should I even bother changing it? it is simple and tasty should I experiment elsewhere or can anyone give me pointers as to converting it to an AG or PM?
Recipe
-6 lbs Briess CBW Pilsen Light Malt Extract (Liquid)
- 0.5 oz Hallertau Hops (Leaf)(60 Min.)
- 0.75 oz Kent Goldings Pellet Hops (Final 5 Min.)
- 0.25 oz Kent Goldings Pellet Hops (Added to the partially cooled wort in the fermenter)
- 1 Container White Labs Cream Ale Yeast (#WLP 080)

I can't wait to crack open my first beer. I have 3 batches conditioning.

I think that malt is malt whether it comes from grain or a can. Partial mashing is gonna allow for a lot more recipe options than just using dme and canned malt.

One of the beers I made was all-grain Cream ale kit from Northern Brewer. It had an awesome smell to it and only costs like $13. That is one benefit to doing all-grain, lower costs if you start buying huge sacks of grain. But there is probably better ways to save money, plus you have like 10lbs of wet grains you have to dispose of when your done brewing, and probably a second vessel to clean out. Not too mention equipment costs and having to be careful with temperatures while brewing.

I typically recommend to people I know who are just getting into homebrewing to brew 4-5 batches over 5-6 months before thinking about going to all grain. The main reason for this is that there is a decent amount of fall out from the hobby after the first batch or two. While it is true what grathan said above about lowering material costs, moving to an all grain set up will cost you a lot of money. Before you invest in all that equipment you need to be certain you are in it for good, and honestly you can't really know this for certain at first. Many people on this forum alone have spent thousands of dollars on elaborate all grain breweries only to abandon the hobby as early as a few months later. Others have brewed extract from the beginning and brew for years that way.

Another reason I suggest waiting is simply because you can make outstanding beer with just extract recipes. The kits from AHS and midwest with the steeping grains make great beers everytime in my experience. If you do decide to jump to all grain I would advise buying the right equipment the first time, this will mean you'll spend more money up front, but save yourself the trouble of upgrading it multiple times to get what you should have bought the first time.

Anyhow, welcome to the forum and the hobby, look forward to hearing a bout your progress.