James
As has been noted, there is a lot that you can find right here and on other forums at absolutely no cost to you. There are likewise "Stickies" or "Articles" you will find in this and other reputable forums that will give you a really good overview as to what a first and second years student of magic needs.
The Mark Wilson and Tarbell courses in Magic are, in my experience, the two primary investments everyone should make up front and if the truth were to be known, they are really all you need until you start formulating the kind of character and image you see around yourself and, to coin a phrase "find your niche". These two courses give you a taste of the basics that can be found in all aspects of magic; close-up to grand theater. They are two of the primary reference sources used by today's leading performers even though, in the minds of some, they seem "antiquated". But don't sell them short! Another set of books I've found grossly ignored when it comes to the beginer are the Bill Tarr "Now You See it; Now You Don't" books (there are two of them) which will introduced you to the rudiments of slight-of-hand, doing so in a manner that is far easier to learn from than most (when it comes to books). To this regard I'd suggest investing in the Jeff McBride videos on basic manipulation in order to gain a stronger understanding of the moves and how to use them.
Your first year to two years of study needs to focus on building a solid foundation and fair overview as to what is out there. Don't be concerned with building a show or being able to do what some personality on Tv does... such things don't matter (or shouldn't). What does matter is learning the basic techniques as far as how to make an effect happen; followed closely with learning how to do the trick.
I know that sounds a bit confusing but there really is a difference in the two (something few ever wiegh). To simply learn the mechanics behind an effect does not make you a "magician"... you're simply someone that knows how the trick works from a logical point of view. In order to create "Magic" however, you need to learn how to create an investment from your audience that helps them suspend disbelief and become enraptured in the idea of a great mystery or something fantastic; our "presentation" as it were, becomes the more important tool and as we get more comfortable in that action we slowly begin to unfold, creating our persona or "Character".
Let it flow and don't force it... work with the material that not only interests you, but which seems to get the greater reaction from the people you perform for. And for god's sake, don't get into the rut most magicians have, when it comes to being addicted to card tricks... there's so much more out there!
