How can I improve my acting without acting lessons?

Well, firstly I want to become an actress when I'm older but I know that right now I am NOT a good actress and my parents can't afford professional acting lessons because I'm already taking professional training in other stuff. Is it true that acting lessons aren't worth the money? All I can do right now is join my drama club in school in September. Do you think I could do anything else to improve my acting? Thanks in advance.

1) Start auditioning! For school shows, community theatre, one acts, whatever you can. A very wise man once said to me to treat every audition as a free acting class. I personally don't find much in acting classes that I can use, I become better by being in shows. Even if you're just in the ensemble of a show, listen to what the director has to say to others while giving them direction and notes. Use your strenghts- what are you training in? If it's dance or voice, you can play to your strengths in auditions for musicals. Enter acting competitions and just put your best foot forward.

2) Read 'The Actor Prepares'. No, honestly, it's a fantastic book and a classic in the field of instructional acting literature. You can also check out other books from the library and do research on different types of acting online just to gain a better feel for the acting world if you want to- things like script scoring, method vs. natural acting, what to expect at an audition, improv methods (reading up on these absolutely saved me at a recent audition) etc.

3) Figure out why you aren't a good actress and improve on it- this is tough advice to follow, but pick out a simple monologue and tape yourself performing it or ask your drama teacher for help. Many times, beginning actors try to take on more than they can handle, so start out small. If you're having trouble being believable, start with a role in a monologue that you can really relate to and work up from there.

4) Realize that becoming a good actor takes a lot of time and patience and that it isn't something that you do for the money. I have a sign on my wall that says 'theatre: don't want the fame, want the feeling'.

5) Break a leg!