[beekeeper]

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What are your plans for health insurance? Also you're to damn young to be having kids yet. Shouldn't even consider it until you're finished with college and in a job in your field.

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This is without a doubt the most reasonable advice in this thread. If you don't think that things can change and you and your wife can lose her insurance coverage, you haven't had enough real life experience. All kinds of thing happen in life that you don't expect, and you have to have some sort of contingency--for your income and your health care.

My sister and brother-in-law are in their late 20s. Their combined income was $100k +. They had their first child two years ago. He was born with a rare heart defect that has already required 3 open heart surgeries. My sister chose not to return to work because, among other reasons, my nephew's condition meant that he could not be around other people for over a year because he couldn't risk exposure to any germs. Before his birth, the family chose to be covered by my sister's insurance, as hers had the best coverage. Since she did not return to work, they lost that coverage. They are covered now, through my brother-in-law's work, but his copay is over $1,500 per month. They do not have her income to help pay that copay. Additionally, their hospital bills not only wiped out all their savings, but has put them into serious debt. These are 2 people who had a healthy income, healthy savings, good jobs and a plan.

It really doesn't matter how good of a poker player you are--you can't predict the future and you don't seem to have a plan. What if the current poker fad turns out just to be a fad and the only people who play on line are people with comparable skill so that you can't make the amount of money you think you can? What if your wife loses her job, or suddenly has to pay part of her insurance coverage (which is extremely likely, as it is the easiest way for companies to cut their bottom line). What if a member of your family gets ill, and you are suddenly stuck with huge hospital debt (even the best plans have a cap and only cover 80% of major medical).

I agree with previous posters who say that if children are in the picture, you have to think of them first. But even without children, even if you were single, for your own sake you need to think long term. If you don't want to sit behind a desk or be part of the corporate structure, then plan something else and really think through the next 10-20 years. Have a contingency for the unexpected. You owe it to yourself and your family.