Well if you want to determine if your shock absorbers need replacement, compress one corner of the truck and bounce it up and down. If the truck seems overly bouncy or doesn't seem to dampen very well, it's probably worn out. Also if the truck nosedives when stopping or the front end jolts up from accelerating from a stop, has excessive body roll, etc; replace them. I personally would recommend Bilstein.
You have a '96 so you can do the Jeep XJ steering shaft mod (
http://www.gmt400.com/forum/showthread.php?12087-XJ-Steering-Shaft-Upgrade-(88-96-Trucks)) this will be one of the most effective ways of tightening up your steering.
To check if you need new ball joints, lift up the front end and grab one of the tires at 12 and 6 o'clock. If you can wiggle it back and forth with noticeable play, replace the ball joints.
While you're at it, you should replace the pitman and idler arms, sway bar end links (if applicable), and tie rod ends. This should be done with MOOG parts (ball joints too).
At 100,000 miles, all of these parts are probably OEM and should be replaced anyway, but your budget will allow you to replace what's necessary, when it's necessary.
If you want to go even further, a set of energy suspension bushings for the front end would be beneficial as well.
