Mike, I only wish I knew as firmly as you do, at your age, what you want to do with your life... hell, I just passed 40 and only really got a firm grip on aviation in the past year.
It made me smile reading your original post. Anyone who has funded their own PPL at your age is obviously not shy of hard work - so please don't be discouraged by some of the comments. In my experience, the one thing younger people lack most is an aptitude for applying themselves in a way that will help then get to where they want to be. The worls is more complicated, so as someone else said - Network! By sticking your face briefly into every aviation company is probably not going to help much. You need to become a familiar sight to people for them to win hearts and minds. So, pick your fave spots, and frequent them more often... get to know the people... Take a genuine interest, don't just come across as the over-enthusiastic guy who wants to carry someone's toolbox - that just puts folks off.
I'm rambling... but don't give up... You sound very dedicated, and genuinely enthusiastic (you must be, a PPL is no small thing for someone on a limited budget). Good luck!