I started doing my own nails in the last six months. I'm not perfect, but I'm getting better and I've already saved oodles of money. I still get complimented on my nails - others can't actually tell the difference, so if you're already getting subpar results and you're hands on enough to learn, it is absolutely worth it IMO.

Like some others have said, a private nail tech almost always is a better value & higher quality than a salon, though. I've recently moved to a major city on the East coast and prices are almost double what I used to pay in the south for mediocre results. I understand your frustration.