Hi,
As a newbie CNC machinist myself, I can vouch that building the machine was the easy part! I am at the figuring out the software stage right now. Here is what has been the easiest combination (for me) as far as the software goes:
CAD: TurboCad Deluxe (I think I am running version 11.something.)
CAM: CamBam
Milling Software: Mach3
I am still learning this as I go....I am now in the firm belief that there is nothing "easy" about the software part. One package might be less confusing than the other, but they all have a certain learning curve that will take time to figure out. Is CamBam the "best" CAM software? Probably not. But I am finding it has been easier to learn than any of the others. You can also ask 10 people on the board what combination they are running and you will get 10 different answers.
Good luck!
Mike