mad bear,
As an aside, it was the introduction of the NPPL licence scheme that set me off thinking that flying might be something I could just about afford. If one can get and maintain a licence in 32 hours or so training plus six hours a year, that is something that even I could afford. But I now know that virtually nobody could learn to fly competently in 32 hours; and I suspect that one couldn't maintain competence in six hours a year. So why are these hours stipulated??
OK, now I know where you're coming from.
I think what you're doing is putting extraordinary pressure on yourself to do the PPL in minimum hours because you can't really afford it. I really, really wish people didn't have to do that, and many do. You can't relax because you're worrying about all the money you're burning.....and guess what, you can't learn to fly unless you relax!
mad bear, you just have to take the pressure off yourself. I wrote what I did yesterday after a hard day's instructing, and I was really too tired to think clearly. Although I meant most of it, it was a little too black and white. Don't, whatever you do, believe those who say you should always listen to Whirly!!!!!! But as you'll hopefully have realised by now, four hours isn't enough to know how long it'll take you to get your PPL. OK, maybe it'll take you the UK average of 60-70 hours, or maybe more; it took me 90 hours to get my PPL(A).
Option 1. Chill out. Enjoy the flying. When you run out of money, go away and save some more. You're young - people learn to fly in their 50s, 60s, and 70s. What's the rush?
Option 2. Switch to gliders or microlights, which are a bit cheaper.
Option 3. Borrow the money to get your PPL(A), then get a share in a permit aircraft, or switch to microlights then, or ask on here about all the other cheaper ways to fly.
Option 4. Buy lots of lottery tickets.
I suspect others will give you more options.
As for the minimum hours requirement, remember it's a legal minimum. Some of those people will have flown other types of machines, or be ex-military, or been flying as passengers in parents' aircraft since they were born or something. You're got to have a legal minimum somewhere. Though many agree with you that 32 hours is ridiculous. And the six hours a year? Again, you've got to have a legal minimum. As a helicopter pilot, I reckon I can just about maintain my fixed-wing currency to fly non-demanding aircraft in nice weather on about a hour every couple of months, so long as I realise my limitations. Why should I have to do more because some other people need to? The problem is that people perceive the legal minimum as what everyone can do, and they're very different.
OH, just BTW, people do occasionally win the lottery and learn to fly. One of my helicopter students won a cool million and a half. And there's penniless little me (all my dosh went on helicopter training) giving him advice on what helicopter to buy!