you're at the right place, i've learned a crapload here.

I've been playing for almost a year and I can tell you that there is decent money in playing poker.

Like others said, stay away from the play money, you won't learn anything. You only need a $20 bankroll to play $2 NL. $100 and you can play the $10 NL on stars or somewhere, and that is easily profitable. If you play a standard TAG game, you will increase your bankroll. Make sure you check out the bankroll management thread, that is key to making money imho. I'm pretty sure that 80% or more players online don't closely track their play and just keep reloading (where the profit comes from).

Play for bonuses whenever possible, the party bonus clears easily at $25 NL, but you need $500 to make the most of it. Bonuses add up. They account for about half my total bankroll right now. Plus, as you're learning you will make stupid mistakes and lose money, a bonus helps to ease the pain.

Finally get pokertracker or pokeroffice. I know you can get pokeroffice through a bonus, but I've got both and I haven't used PO in a few months, I just like PT a lot better, so I recommend it.

Anyway, good luck!