Another Beginner Question re: Fingers

I'll keep the "alternative fingering" in mind, I guess I worry that if I pick what's easiest for me right now it'll hamstring me in the future.

I'm also gonna guess now that in the future alternate fingering isn't going to be too difficult to pick up, eh? :)

not particularly, although in that case I'd advise you to learn the A major shape with the 3-fingered fingering (I'm sure that's verbose, lol) and the D major using three fingers also. You can easily add these chords played using index-finger barring later on as you'll become aquainted with forming barres when playing Fmajor and other chords.