There are a few ways to do it without paying for it - or even being paid for it. As an FI with (once!) hopes and dreams I ferried aircraft, took engineers up for air tests, etc to build the 30+ ME PIC hours I needed for the CRI(ME) course. All good fun if hard work and it still gets me the odd phone call here and there. It's just a shame that my main customer has ordered a C510 that I can't afford a TR for...