PSP:
Treat the CCNA as a starter for ten. Also, one C2500 won't be enough - try to blag time in a properly equipped lab, or fork out for Boson NetSim or something like that.
Depending on what you want to do, CCIE with supplementary practical experience and something else - for example security stuff - will be of use.
For what it's worth, I did my CCNA course a few years ago, still have the books, but fluffed the exam by 1 question each time ! I think it was because I was doing my CPL(H) exams simultaneously . . .