I took lessons years ago. I think I took 4 or 5 lessons before I gave up.
A month ago I decided I wanted to play again(and really dedicate some time to learn). I bought a guitar and signed up on this site.
After a month of playing(as little as 10minutes somedays and as much as a few hours on other days), I now know A-G major, minor and maj7 chords and just got through scales. I'm able to play basic easy melodies like xmas songs, and intros to a lot of other songs.
I don't think you need to spend the money on lessons as long as you Want to learn to play. The great part about this site is you can take lessons 10 hours a day if you want and you're still only paying the monthly fee. Take a lesson at 4am if you want.
I think you'll learn a lot quicker using an online site. I sure did. It's a lot cheaper too.