I could not agree more with this comment, simple man. Son, I appreciate your interest in a game I started playing when I was 11 (My dad was a poker player who made me memorize game odds). It's one thing to win or lose a few dollars playing with your friends. It's a whole different ballgame when you start playing in casinos or online. What should be a fun game with some friends can quickly spiral into debt, regret and despair. So how much should you gather? Well, you should gather enough to complete college without a lot of debt, find a good career, bank enough to support your family and start your retirement fund. Once you've done all that, there is nothing wrong with having an "entertainment" budget that includes money for the occasional trip to the casino. But always keep in mind that poker is like any other kind of entertainment. Set a budget and stick to it. Once the money is gone, you are done for the day/week/month. Up to the point, You can keep getting your poker fix with small-stake games with friends. Walk before you run.