Restaining Cabinets....sucks

I have 2 tiny projects that need stained. Probably a total of 4 sq. ft. I thought one of the little sample sizes that they sell in paint would be perfect. At one of the big boxes last night and inquire. Salesperson asks inside or outdoor and when I answer indoor, he says no and they only sell 1/2 pints. Wheeling my cart and browsing around the dept., I see that Olympia has sample size cans of exterior stain. It was pushing closing time so I didn't examine it. Now after checking online, there is a semi-transparent base, and it is also 8 oz, and only slightly cheaper. But I think there are more color choices. So why couldn't / shouldn't I use that it on my little projects What is the difference between an transparent exterior and stain labeled for interior use?

Obviously I'm brand new to this forum, so "hi" and thanks in advance for any and all tips and pointers. I've agreed to paint a funky little rental cottage for my inlaws. It's in my nature to over research, get hung up on perfection, and ultimately under-execute. Now the time has come to actually buy the paint and start painting and I'm finding I'm still hitting some mental blocks. Here's the background stuff: I've painting a fair number of interior spaces successfully and once spent a summer painting exteriors. Although I was the go-to girl for my abilities with the sprayer, I've probably taken away more of an appreciation for how much I don't know than anything else from that experience. The cottage is fairly old and neglected so I've been spending more time than I care to on prep. Soffits needed lots of scraping and sanding, some are being replaced. Caulk is failing pretty much everywhere (which i've now removed) and much of what is made of wood has a fair amount (but manageable) of rot. There is a moderate amount of 100% silicone caulking used in a number of odd places (some I was able to remove, some not), including between wood framed patio screening and the body of the house and on the concrete of the patio itself. Fascia boards mostly needed to be sanded down completely (due to a cheap, crumpling laminate being applied over it with gobs of hard adhesive). The cottage is synthetic (Sto) stucco over cinder block. Stucco is unpainted. There is no mildew but there are bad red soil stains. There is some minor water damage here and there that's being addressed by an actual handy person. The climate conditions are dry/tropical. SO... What type of paint do you all recommend? I thought I had settled on Valspar since it's available at the big box and also at the more conveniently located local hardware store, but it turns out the colors I need are not available both places. I've gotten different answers about whether that matters, but it does sound like even if I get the color custom matched off the chip from the other store, they won't match between the two stores. So, now I'm wondering if I should just get my colors matched but from Sherwin Williams. I need paint that will block the stains underneath it, look ok on the stucco finish, be ok over the Sto (lots of conflicting info about what that means), and hold up to sun, dirt, and regular, gentle washing (due to all the dust and dirt). I did get sticker shock yesterday and am not sure where I need to be on the spectrum from $65/5gal to $240/5gal. Is it worth getting Valspar Reserve or SW Ovation for all coats? Or at all? Can I go for an eggshell/satin on the stucco without it looking odd? How seriously should I take manufacturer's recommendation of the color having at least 30% reflectivity and how dark is that anyway? What is recommended for priming the areas of bare wood on the soffits and fascias? And sheen-wise for the top coat, I'm torn between future maintenance and showing the flaws along the feathered edges where I've sanded (I'm not sure how it will look, but also not sure my neck and lady arms can handle much more sanding upside down). The roof is flat and while it rarely rains, there are storms and there has obviously been past exposure, in addition to loads of dirt and salt. Help? I'm leaning towards a 2-part epoxy for the concrete patio, but haven't used that type of product before. Due to flaws in it's design, it's almost impossible to clean thoroughly, it is uneven and has some minor cracks and will have standing water after any storm. Is this a product I could reasonably manage myself? Anything I should know about it or watch out for? The front door is steel and I've like to paint it red-orane (SW "Peppery"). As mentioned, this is a hot, dry, but moderately humid climate. The door gets a little direct sun in the later afternoon. I've been told any quality exterior paint will do. There is also a wrought iron security door that will need paint. Thoughts? Oh, and I should add, there is also a metal storage shed that will be getting painted and I'm skeptical about latex on that, too. The inside should be all downhill once I get in there, but if anyone has tips on painting over stained cabinets in a way that will look nice, go fast, and hold up in a rental that's be super-duper. ;D Budget is definitely a factor, so anywhere I can save I need too, however, all parties have agreed that a killer paint job on such a funky old place will really help it look, well, a little less funky and a lot more charming. Which is to say, I don't mind putting in the time, thought and effort to do a good job - and of course mistakes are costly. But so is an empty rental :-\ :)