[kiffy]

hi guys, ive enjoyed taking photos for years but only this past week made the jump to a proper camera and ive just bought a canon 550D (had it friday), one of the main things i want to do is macro photography of wildlife and plant life but have no idea where to start... ive spent hours looking around and have seen that you can get macro lenses, macro filters with various + ratings and macro extension tubes.

now remembering im a real newbie which would better suit my needs? im guessing that as in most things in life that the more i spend the better so the proper lens would benefit me. i dont really want to spend any more than i have to as ive spent a grand the past week on the 550D with an 18-55 lens that came as part of the kit, a 75-300mm lens and a few other bits but if laying out another couple of hundred will be worth it then i will... and id rather pay it now than buy extension tubes or + filters that altough may do for now as im learning will eventually become redundant if i progress and need to then buy a dedicated macro lens as it would just meanwasting money... or would it?

so what do you guys think?