1998 Other Plymouth Models Timming Belt

I have a '98 Plymouth Neon and I think my timming belt has gone. I'm a girl and I know NOTHING about cars so forgive me if I don't know all the terms. About two weeks ago it would struggle to start. You could here the engine, so I know it was getting power, but it would take about 10 to 15 seconds for the car to start up. At the same time the check engine light came on, its never been on before now. So today when I went to start it nothing. You can hear the engine but it never catches. Someone told me it sounds like my timming belt, does this sound about right. Then the other thing I wanted to know is this something that I can get a friend to do one afternoon. In my car is the belt easy to get to or do you have to remove the radiator and/or engine? Thanks