Statistically, college graduates make more than those who don't go to college, and college students are not nearly as underemployed as people think (see
this article). There are some degrees that could be deemed as worthless. If you go and study German Polka History, you probably aren't going to find many well-paying jobs out there looking for your skill and expertise. On the other hand, I personally think the best thing that you can do is figure out where your passions lie and what you might be interested in doing, and take the most inexpensive route through college you can find. Unless you can pile up scholarships, I do think it's unrealistic to think that you can go to college for free, but that doesn't mean you can't pay your way through.
It all depends on what you want to do. There are some careers that don't necessarily require a college degree in order to advance and succeed. Trade labor, as Saucy mentioned, is a great example. But if you want to work in the medical field, you absolutely need a degree. If you want to be an accountant, you're going to need a degree. If you want to do counseling, you need a degree for that.
Personally I believe that what you really need is a scrappy, can-do attitude about things. Life might make things really difficult for you to get where you want to be, but you just have to be a little bit creative. My current job pays me around $15/hr (that's after a recent raise), but I work overtime to bring in more. I also am constantly looking for other simple ways to earn income. I have a roommate, so that brings in a little extra. And I might be taking on a position at my church which would provide some additional income. I coupon like it's my job lol, and I budget every dollar that I make. You just have to have this attitude that you are happening to the world--you are exerting your will upon the world, not the other way around. I am planning soon to go back to school to finish up my bachelor's in accounting (I have a bachelor's in Intercultural Studies [might as well be German Polka History] and an associate's in accounting) and then I am planning to switch jobs with the intent of increasing my income. If you have a dream, it's really not as far out of your reach as you think. You just have to be willing to be scrappy and fight for it. Have a little chip on your shoulder.
EDIT: I would also add--network, network, network. As you are pursuing employment, you are more likely to land a job via someone you know than you are sending applications and resumes to someone who has never met you before.