nonradio, with regard to your original post, I tend to agree with you. I think that the NPPL's advantages lie in it's ancillary features, rather than in a vast saving in flying training costs, although there will be some saving in that respect, of course.
Incidentally, you say the NPPL is upon us at the end of the month. As I understand it (and no doubt I'll be shot out of the sky if I'm wrong) we can start training for the NPPL now, but the licence can't be applied for until the ANO is amended (at the end of the month).
Regards, GT.