If you just point your miner at a multi-pool or just mine LTC then you won't make your money back.
But if you do your homework and mine certain coins at certain times and trade them right -- then you can do well.
no way to survive in mining without an ASIC and free electricity !
plus the certain coins & certain times does not exist anymore, cause the big guys rent freaking amounts of hash, so if you are good with TA make your money from thin air, or else buy some BTC and store them just in case!