Playing against computer is different than against human, especially in the lower end where human tend to make blunders.
Because in the lower end the main problem is the tactical weakness, you should avoid complications (not playing gambit like above).
To avoid complication (and because you like to swap pieces and get to the endgame) you should control the center squares, prepare pieces behind each center pawns (or pieces) to guard them and replace their position if there will be an exchange, no need to attack, just dominate the center and make sure your pieces' positions are better than your opponent's, exchange to improve position or simply to reduce the possible complication. Here is how to execute such plan (where you play White):
Hey, I'm new to the forum and really bad at Chess. I know peice movements and basic tactics/checkmates etc. but I can't pull it together when playing an actual game. Right now I've been in Chess Mentor working through the lessons sequentially. I think that way I can learn from the ground up. Lately I've been frustrated to no end when playing. It seems like I've gotten worse at time moves on. I tend to get myself into positional trouble alot and have to depend on trading and what i know of the endgame to get out of losing. Well....if I make it to the endgmae. Here's a game that exemplifies my point.
Thanks again.