Get a degree! Its worth it, I have a bachelors & masters degree, turn 25 this month, and have an awesome job - 4 weeks vacation, great benefits& every-other friday off, all on top of good pay! Sure it was tough sometimes working & schoolingthrough my masters program, but it was well worth it. You have to think long term, get a good job when you young, put every penny you can pinch into a retirement account and you'll be able to retire w/ 20 years of good hunting left... thats my plan anyway..

Also listen to the guy suggesting real-estate, I'm slowly working my way into that field as a "side" job... Buy a fixer-upper (but livable) and live there while you do the work, then either sell it for a profit or rent and and move to another... before you know it you'll be retired... With the econonmy the way it is, interest rates have only one direction to go UP! this will mean less people will be able to get home loans, so renting will go up...

Going into huge debt is not necessarily worth it,find a way to minimize your debt, or you'll be a slave to your creditors...