I've done the PPL for the fun of flying rather than as a route to the airlines so I took my time over the course and also found the weather interrupted my progress many times. Took just over 60 hours during 18 months of training to get the licence and I now have 85 hours total time. I can see the sense in ploughing in through the PPL on the way to something else but if it's not going to be your career what's the rush?
As one instructor said to me: "It's all about the flying." The cost of hiring the aircraft for the average PPL is only going to be a little bit cheaper than flying dual with your instructor so I found that passing the test was my almost my secondary concern by the time I was ready. It was just another fun sortie with a bit of added pressure.
Since passing I've tried out a few very different aircraft and I'm now investigating a group to try and bring the cost down in future. I would say the training is one of most fun things I've ever done so I wouldn't be in a hurry. It's something to savour.
Lunchmaster