A few thoughts on this. First, I'd argue it isn't even a general consensus that secondaries aren't necessary--it's an overwhelming majority. The exceptions would be as noted above if you're doing something unusual (add fruit or oak, say), or if you are aging a beer for a very long time, or if you just need to free the primary for another beer.
I stopped using secondaries after about my 3rd batch (just completed #89) and haven't looked back. Unless you have the conditions noted above, secondaries are a waste of time, expose your beer to oxygen needlessly, and cost extra equipment.
Second, I'm firmly of the belief that new brewers should start simple. Learn the process, use a good basic recipe (a kit is fine), and figure out how to brew decent beer. The more complicated you make things, the more likely something will go wrong, and then how do you identify the culprit? Brewing isn't horribly complicated, but neither is it simplistic.
Once you have the process down, then start thinking about expanding your horizons. Seriously. Keep this as simple as possible, brew a good basic beer. Refine the process. Get that part down. Then think about recipe alterations and so on. Unless you have a base from which to grow, you can't really know how recipe changes will work.
Every once in a while we see a newbie (I was one, once--and I remember!) who wants to do a triple-hopped, left-handed stout with belgian and IPA overtones using orange zest cocoa nibs with a combination of ale and lager yeasts, fermented in an earthenware crock. I'm being facetious, of course, but you get the point--the more complicated, the more to pay attention to, and the more likely something will go wrong.
Think about it--you have the boil, have to learn how to use extract (if you're doing an extract kit), maybe how to mash (if you're doing all-grain), steeping grains maybe, how is the water, did you boil long enough, add the hops at the right time along with any other adjunct additions like a whirlfloc tablet, get it chilled down, transfer to the fermenter, get the yeast added correctly, maintain some temperature control while fermentation continues, establish when it's done, use a hydrometer to check, transfer to bottling bucket when done (and probably screwing up the siphon usage--don't ask me how I know), getting the bottles clean and sanitized, getting the right amount of priming sugar added, get the beer in the bottles and then capped.........and I've left a lot out.
Now, the learning part of this is fun--at least it was for me--but still. Complication is the enemy of newbies, and we want them to be successful. Make sure you can walk before you think about running.
Third, I think most experienced brewers would tell you that one of the greatest leaps forward in their brewing was being able to control fermentation temperature. Ferment too warm for the yeast and it will express flavors you didn't intend....that's code for "ooohhhh....that's not tasting good....." There are simple and inexpensive ways to do this, e.g., using a swamp cooler or cheap refrigerator.
So if you're thinking of a place to get better, think of fermentation temperature control.