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Once you get the basics down (ie, what Evil and ibClaire are suggesting), spend a few minutes looking at tutorials for commercial cut-out tools such as Mask Pro from onOne Software (eg, http://www.ononesoftware.com/university/#!/video/basic-use-90-rule ), Remask from Topaz Software ( http://www.topazlabs.com/tutorials/remask.html ), and Vertus' Fluid Mask ( http://www.vertustech.com/fluidMask/tutorials/tut_start.html ). 

Even if you don't use these particular products, some the hints and suggestions they give are excellent, e.g., (1) as you develop your cut-out / mask, constantly check it against black, white, and highly colored backgrounds; (2) generate your mask using a contrast-enhanced, extra saturated version of the original, then throw that layer out and apply the mask to the actual layer(s) of interest; etc..

HTH,

Tom M

PS - Like Claire and Evil, for me, it can be months or years between uses of the eraser tool (ie, vs painting black and white in a layer mask).  This is going waaay back, but I essentially stopped using it when Adobe first introduced layer masks into PS in the '90's.