My advice is when you find shorts you like, buy them like they are going out of style. Because they are. If you wait a year to buy another pair they will be subtly different and maybe not in a way you like. My wife has the same problem with running shoes. She finds a pair she likes and 6 months later they "update" it and it doesn't fit her as well. I found an inexpensive saddle I like at Performance. It was on sale and I bought 4 of them. Since then I have picked up a couple of older bikes from Craig's list and the first thing to go on them is a saddle I like.
The lube cream is great. I use it for long rides, but it is not a substitute for a good pair of shorts or the right saddle.