You know, you can find some books and cd's not expensive to begin japanese, that's what I did. And after, there is some japanese lessons in universyties you can do it even if your not in the university (in france it's like that, I hope it's the same in you countrys), I don't know the name of that in english... So it's not expensive because it's just school, not a personnal teacher ^_^.
And, it's NOT a waste of time, besides it's giving good opportunities in many jobs.
And if I'm lucky it's because I'm older, I work so it's my money....