A38
You're right, the 14 exams cost £868 if you pass all 14 first time. But then there's the test fee for each flying exam, some £700 if I remember correctly.
I'm not sure a caravan would be conducive to hard work and studying through to 2am each morning, but my hat off to you for doing so! I mentioned the costs of travelling to the various vanues - towing a caravan will not help mpg at all! Any significant distance, and the caravan would gobble up any savings made from not using the convenient local B&B. Also, I wonder where the nearest caravan site to the CAA at Gatwick is for the exams?
Most people would expect to spend around £30 a night minimum, when ALL costs are taken into account. And then there's the travel, as I already mentioned.
I'd be delighted for garywoodrow to come back on this forum in 18 months time to let us know that he achieved his instructor rating from ab initio for just £27,000, but I'm not holding my breath. The reality is that it always costs more than we plan at the outset, with our rose tinted specs on. I thought he should have some realistic input on his 'bare basics' figures, which are optimistic, and probably unrealistic.
However I approve of your encouragement; I was in no way trying to put a downer on his plans and provisional budget.
PM