6.8kg UCI weight limit with a tight budget - trading my way up

[StanK]

... I am still learning and adjusting my bike with each ride to get a better fit.

It's a chapter One, the first day when buying a bicycle. No "from the first day" but "the first day". Of course, there will always be a few millimeters here and there to adjust, but should not be more than that after the initial setting.

Saddle height and setback (and "flatness", although, that can be just slightly adjusted in the process) is the first adjustment from which everything else is follow.
Maybe I'm wrong, but somehow I have the impression that you are not sure where to start to get a proper/comfortable body position on the bike.

Handlebar ... This is a slight "old school" profile, so you can get drops parallel to the ground or fine flat transition to the hoods. Cannot be both in this case. You decide what's more important to you, there is no rule for that.
But it would be good that stem length is correct, then it's all easier to set.

[themidge]

Try to get the flats of the drops and the flat part of the shifter parallel with the top tube and stem. That will look the best and be much more comfortable. If you think you need a flat transition to the hoods your reach might be too long, which adjusting the bars will change .

[PLEASEpleasePlease]

I adjusted the saddle as I was indeed sliding when riding. As for the bars, I might bump the shifters just a bit but I don't have a problem with the weight issue on the bars. I think 110mm stem is too long for me, so I am considering 100mm stem, which should be perfect.

I got some level of numbness in my hands and felt too much weight on the bars until I moved the saddle and adjusted its angle.

Here is the photo of the positioning of the shifters:

I would recommend to rotate your handlebars back until the ends of the drop's angle are inline with the angle of the headtube. Then I would slide your shifters up until they're flush and level. This would decrese the reach without having to spend $75-$150 on a new stem. If you measure before and after, I bet you would decrease the reach by at least 3cm. But you can always play with the reach.