After I got my PPL I spent 6 months hiring, and what a total pain in the arse it was. Can't go here, can't go there, can't take it away overnight because it's booked solid the next day, woe betide you if you want to go away for a week and play it by ear...
Was very lucky to meet a couple of other chaps in the same boat and bought a splendid 177. Hourly costs have reduced by at least £40 for a far superior aircraft to those I was hiring, and if I fly between 3 and 4 hours a month it covers the monthly costs when you put the figures back to back. That said I've flown about 120 hours in the last 12 months! The more you fly, the more you save, err, kinda.
If it's motivation that's flagging, joining a group with a good aircraft and good members is the way to go. That said, money is always an rather inconvenient deciding factor, as with everything.