Also mid-PPL training I've bought things as I'v needed them.
The APMs I bought to study as I progressed toward each exam, checklists are obviously a necessity from the outset. I didnt own a kneeboard, stopwatch or chart until I began the nav exercises. All in all, maybe I've paid more than I could have overall, however doing it in bits worked out well and possibly less expensive in the short term. (Also bought a headset as a self-gift after the 1st solo
).