V.P.
Question 1: I'm the exact same size, so I have the same problems! TJ Maxx or Marshalls for last season's suits. Just bought two there two weeks ago - $30 each.
Question 2: My best suggestion is that instead of a size 12, look into size 16 in the women's section. The reason is that I found a great underwire tankini top there last year! The exact same suit was in misses sizes without the underwire, but for whatever reason, only the women's sizes offered an underwire version! That suit gives me the best support ever. The little elastic shelf bras in suits do NOTHING for 38DD. So now, I don't worry about the size, I just look for the underwire. And not all women's suits offer it, it's just rare to find it in my normal size, so I just look for the underwire. And I think I got that suit at Kohl's.