Remove your wheels and do a once over front and rear, be sure to check your rubber lines. they can collapse internally due to lack of maintance, if you check them often it's easy to tell. also while your under there go ahead and lube everything up, by the sounds of it its probley time. If your system checks out visually start looking at operation of your M/C but a good candidate is the Proportioning valve. if you rarely flush your system and miosture collects it will rust out and old brake fluid will also breakdown the rubber lines, one reason for internally collapsed lines, and the rubber residue can clog other lines, prop valve, M/C, ect.....
If you feel this is over your head take it to a shop, it can seem simple but it is no laughing matter. bad breaks kill people PERIOD.
Most shops have a free inspection, if they do get their opinion. if it seems they are trying to gouge you politley thank them but tell them you dont have enough money right then, ask others around you about what they said before you go back. If the price seems fair dont jerk them around, if they are the cheapest shop in town and you waste their time your price just went up or the quality of work went down!
One last thing to think of, if your brakes are real bad they may say they are not allowed to let you to leave the shop untill it is properly repaired. Happened to a friend of mine, she went in for a free inspection and they wouldnt let her take the car untill she got $300 worth of work!! I went and straightened things out w/ the manager and a local buddy of mine that is a sheriff.
Good luck man, Jeremy