These guys either can't fund anymore flying or can't move for one reason or another and are thinking of throwing in the towel.
I understand exactly how they feel, as I (& many others) have been there. That said, it's an endurance event, & it's not always the Ace of Base who gets the golden opportunity, but the stubborn & determined buggers who are still there after the rest have given up & walked away. Your mates obviously have a bit of soul-searching to do, & I appreciate that everyone has their threshold, but the bottom line is they've got to decide just how badly they want it. If it means walking away from flying on a temporary basis & securing a "regular" job to save for their CIR or META (as I did), so be it. The resourceful & determined types look for solutions rather than barriers to their progression. However, as Wally mentioned, nothing is worth sacrificing a wife & family for. On that note, the most important question in this whole exercise is not how far your mates are prepared to go, but how far will their families go. Nevertheless, I'll reiterate one more time: Solutions, not barriers. If it matters
that much, they'll find a way. If not, they won't.