Also, even the best teachers can't be "effective" if you yourself aren't putting in the hours of daily Spanish exploration. For any word you want to learn, read aloud the Spanish definition http://dle.rae.es/ and have fun :)

I think it's not mandatory to spend lots of money to improve your level. You can search for partners interested in language exchanges. I'm doing it with four friends from different countries and we all have improved our skills. If you try this way, you will see it's not always easy to find reliable partners, but with patience you can get it. With the help of some good teachers, your progress will be more consistent, but in my experience, quality is not assured. I took classes from three different teachers, and only one of them was good enough to repeat.

Dear Aloha, My advise is choosing your instructors considering their education and experience, not their pricing. For sure you will save money in that way. Cheers!