Bike tires are an area that is an excellent illustration for the principle that you can save money and frustration by going expensive. You should use tubes with threaded valves and retaining nuts, such as from Schwalbe or Continental, tires with a kevlar layer, again from Schwalbe or Continental, and a decent floor pump with a hose, such as from Topeak or SKS. A good pump will last a lifetime and, in your situation, those tires will last a decade+. These advices are from practical experience including unfortunate flat situations such as yours.