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Impact drivers are not designed to be used as drills. They are designed for impact driving of screws and bolts. They drive screws and bolts far better and quicker than a drill.
You can get a "Rapid Loader" for the drill that works just like the hex chuck on an impact driver and fits your quick connect bits.
For homeowner use, dewalt makes a lower priced combo kit that includes both the 20V drill and impact driver and is usually $199 but sometimes goes on sale for around $169 at Lowes or Home Depot. If you want something that will last forever or at least as long as you can get replacement batteries when needed, get a Milwaukee.
I have 20V Porter Cable drills and impact drivers. I must have a dozen different driver adapters around. I buy a new one when I like the look, color, or the way they release. I went with Porter Cable mostly because I read a good review on the impact driver, and Lowes had a great sale on them. I like the battery charge indicator on the battery, and how fast they charge.
I think you will find the major brands are pretty much alike, so pick the one that feels the best in your hand.
I avoid the cheap crap at Harbor Freight because they don't hold up to heavy work well, and the batteries are junk. They will also change out designs, so when you go to buy a new battery (a year later), they don't sell the same size any longer. For infrequent use they may be fine.
There are several good brands out there. You can't go wrong with Dewalt, Porter Cable, Milwaukee, or my personal favorite, Bosch.
For occasional users, a drill is more than sufficient. An impact driver is more of a pro tool, and overkill for DIY or casual home workshop users.
Definitely go lithium-ion. They are far superior to the older NiCAd batteries.
One thing to consider is interchangeable batteries. Each vendor makes their own proprietary battery, so if you have more than one cordless tool it is best if you decide on one manufacturer and stick with it. In my case, I have decided on Bosch, so my various drills, reciprocating saw, job site radio, and brad nailer can all swap batteries and chargers. This way if I have even one battery charged, I can use any tool.
That saw is really nice to have. It's not something you'd buy if you were a contractor to run all day but for small jobs it's fantastic. I use it for a lot things other than construction, trimming small branches etc. The light is really nice too, very bright and you can adjust the angle to point it at things after you set it on the ground.
Father's Day is coming up, I'd wait until then if you can.
I rehab home on the side and a Ryobi combo (impact and drill with 2 batteries) lasted 2 1/2 years so far. If I remember correctly, it was $99 for the two with batteries during Black Friday sale.
I do have corded Dewalt and Hilti for the bigger job so these two were used only for regular fastening and light drilling.
I've had them all, DeWalt, Rockwell, Ridgid, Ryobi, Black and Decker, pick one, I've had it. I've bought the cheapest and I've paid close to 500 bucks for a cordless drill- all were absolute crap. Think spending more will buy you more-nope. That 500 dollar drill crapped out in less than a year and the warranty.....what a joke that is. You have to take it to a certified repair shop. It's only 175 miles from me. Then you get to leave it for them to look at in 90 days or so. Then, if you are lucky enough that they replace the unit, you have to go get the thing. No, they won't send it to you, you have to go get it and fill out a butload of paperwork and sign for it. I don't have 90 days to wait for some moron to decide if it's screwed up or not. I buy Harbor Freight. They have a 1/2" drill that is less than 50 bucks. It works, has 2 variable speeds and the battery recharges in an hour. A new battery is less than 20 bucks. Try a replacement DeWalt 18V. You'll have to get out more money than a 100 dollar bill to buy one. I can buy 2 Harbor freights for that money and have new battery, charger, and drill. For the average home owner, it's a lot more drill than you'll probably ever need. 18 Volt 1/2 in. Cordless Variable Speed Drill/Driver
That saw is really nice to have. It's not something you'd buy if you were a contractor to run all day but for small jobs it's fantastic. I use it for a lot things other than construction, trimming small branches etc. The light is really nice too, very bright and you can adjust the angle to point it at things after you set it on the ground.
Father's Day is coming up, I'd wait until then if you can.
Lol, if I were a) a man and b) had kids, it would be worth waiting. Since I'm not, and Home Depot is having a big sale, I'll probably buy something this weekend.
Someone suggested not getting NiCd because they have a battery "memory" effect issue. I will keep in mind the system issue, because eventually having some kind of cheap power saw would be nice.
Lol, if I were a) a man and b) had kids, it would be worth waiting. Since I'm not, and Home Depot is having a big sale, I'll probably buy something this weekend.
Someone suggested not getting NiCd because they have a battery "memory" effect issue. I will keep in mind the system issue, because eventually having some kind of cheap power saw would be nice.
Personally, I think you will be fine with something like this.
I picked up a Ryobi 18v Cordless Drill - Impact combo set and love it. The impact does a better job of getting screws through studs than a drill does IMHO.
OP I was in your exact same shoes about 3 years ago.
Had a Black & Decker 18v drill for years, bought several batteries for it, just didn't cut it anymore and batteries were getting more and more expensive. In fact, what you'll find is companies typically sell the equipment for close to cost and make the profit on the batteries when they go bad.
I went and looked at it and did some research. First, the Ryobi is a great value, when you can catch it on sale for $99. Normally Black Friday. I think lately its new price is $129. The battery cells in the Ryobi, Ridgid, and Milwaukee (a higher end brand) are all the exact same Sanyo cells. So basically the difference is the drill/driver. Ryboi is pretty basic, the Ridgid is a huge step up in quality with its ratcheting chuck, and more power, and power indicator on the battery (really nice to have feature). Milwaukee is even better but $$$.
The nice thing about the Ridgid is the lifetime warranty on the equipment AND batteries. As you have found out the batteries are the thing that keeps you coming back. With two batteries, each one charges in about 15-20 mins, I can survive on a single battery if/when I need to send one back in for the cost of a few dollars in postage (you also have the option of driving, and I even looked up service centers in my area, there are quite a few). Also lately Home Depot has been swapping things out for folks I hear. The catch is, once you get the new battery or equipment, you must register it again online in order to keep the lifetime warranty or it will just go 3 years. It used to be a PITA but now they've automated it, really super easy.
It's a huge step up from the Home Owner stuff and you can feel the difference. I don't do a lot but love using my Ridgid cordless stuff. After you figure in the price of another set of batteries, the cost differential isn't really there over the Ryobi.
As for getting a drill or impact driver, I would really suggest both. The impact driver makes driving screws and lag bolts effortless. So much easier than drilling! For drilling holes you need a drill. I really can't emphasize how much nicer the impact is for putting screws into 2x4s.
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Since I'm not, and Home Depot is having a big sale, I'll probably buy something this weekend. 
