I can't afford to take lessons… but I really want to learn! If you know any free resources I can use that would be great. Right now I have absolutely no knowledge of the guitar except the terms (frets, chords, and some notes). I've had a guitar for 5 years now and I pick it up and try to teach myself… but I don't learn anything. 
Please help if you can.
i suggest you go to http://www.justinguitar.com – a site that has everything that you need to know about guitars. or buy the book "The Complete Billboard Illustrated Guitar Handbook" which also does the same thing.
Well if you're new i suggest you could start by learning the chords and chord progression. once you get it. play playing some rhythm songs, and try to get used to it. After learning rhythm guitar try to switch to lead guitaring. Which can be done by learning to improvise solos. try to learn the scales so that you could learn to improvise. and lastly practice. it's the only way to improve