Assuming the UK is out, there are 3 options that spring to mind :-
1) Go to another JAA Member state where the exhange rate and/or built in costs are a bit cheaper.
2) Get a JAA license in the US - as far as I'm aware only one school is able to provide the full JAA course and that is Helicopter Adventures in Florida (
www.heli.com)
3) Get a regular FAA PPL and do the conversion in a JAA country other than the UK (Norway for example).
As for work. Well you're right; getting a job with just a CPL is a very long shot.
The accepted path is to get PPL(H), CPL(H), CFI(H) and instruct for hours (possibly adding an IR and CFI/I to that).
However in that case your numbers are light. FAA ratings up to CFI(I) in the US for this are going to be more like 30000UKP. For equivalent JAA ratings done in the US, it'll be more like 35000UKP.
Finally factor in living costs while doing this (will probably take a little under a year) and then a low salary while instructing (since your pay is largely the hours you're getting).
I'm guessing it'll take around 5 years to get into a reasonable job where I can live a 'normal income' life again (I've only just started the process myself). In the meantime I have to watch the pennies v. carefully.
Cheers,
r.