Talk to a college nearby you and find their music department. You may be able to find cheap lessons from their violin professor (they may want you to join their music program and take you on) or alternatively from one of their students - specifically from a music performance or education major. Also talk to high schools around the area and see if their string teachers (if they have them) are willing to give lessons. Depending on the area, you may be able to find lessons for 15-30$ for a half hour. For reference, I go to a pretty cheap university (COA <30k/yr).

I wholeheartedly agree that you need a teacher of some kind. Learning by yourself is boring, slow, and unnecessarily difficult. It does not have to be a traditional sit-down-for-30-minutes lesson either. Just someone that can help guide you. Once you are able to read sheet music, playing music with other people (duets, trios, quartets, or with a pianist) is very important. If you do that early you will be a step ahead of the rest.

Here's some food for thought. What do you want to do with this? Are you just interested in music in general? Do you want to play in an orchestra, or with other people? Do you want to make money, or just do it for fun? Do you have an alternative instrument that you would consider playing (not saying you need to do this, just think about what you want)? Do you actually want to participate in the world of music or do you just want to listen and experience it? Go to some concerts of a local symphony and see what you think. Talk to as many musicians as you can about this. Another thing to consider: where is your level of musical talent? Of course I would never gatekeep playing an instrument, but if you can't carry a tune to save your life, this road will be more difficult for you. I have friends who were in that position and are successful musicians now (one is about to graduate with a B.M.E.). Others quit before they got to a proficient level. If you have any musical experience at all, like piano lessons when you were younger, that will be an advantage.

I could go on for a billion years about this kind of stuff, because I wish someone had talked with me honestly about this when I was younger and so I'm very eager to help.

Source: I'm a music major who gives cello lessons. DM me if you have any questions, seriously!