Adding to all the good info on these posts, I'd say that your oil burning may or not be related to what you think is a valve problem. Oil can only get to the combustion chamber via poor/broken rings, or down the valve guides. Bad rings will usually show with a compression test but you'll still get good compression with leaky guides as long as the valves and seats are OK.
I'd add a vote for a flat cam lobe somewhere. With the valve cover off it's not too difficult to measure how much the rocker is depressing the valve, even if you dont have a clock gauge and magnetic stand. If there is virtually no lobe left you can see that the rocker hardly moves at all. Do the valve clearances first. If any exhaust valve shows nil clearance you have some recession. If it's bad enough to keeep the valve open at all times it will burn as well. Compression check will show this too. After you have all the measurements factor in all the clearances and see what you have. Any bad lobes should be obvious.
Next remove the valve gear and use a steel rule or good straight edge along the tops of the valves. They should be level +/- very little. High ones are likely to be exhaust valves and again this will probably mean seat recession.
As Rhys says, fix what you need to if funds are low. If you're lucky enough to have some spare cash after Christmas and the cam measures out OK, maybe you can afford to have a lead free conversion with new springs and seals.
Good luck
New Year Resolution - Look before you leap.