When you put the quote up, the middle part answered your own question - total time.
For each and every individual the cost of an ATPL is a requirement they will have to commit to. There is virtually no other way. What we are doing is making it marginally easier for someone with determination to get there.
Groundschool is the first essential. Without it no one is going anywhere in commercial aviation. The GAPAN aptitude test is the ONE test that will tell if a candidate is good enough. Whether to invest money in him or her self. Having passed it I suspect a bank might be more willing to assist an aspiring individual.