I also did the PAYG route, it's hard work, especially when your job that pays for your flying ends up taking up your flying time!
I started in my early 20's and bought a house which pretty much put an end to my flying for a few years. House sold and also having worked my way up the career ladder enabled me to start flying again.
Finished my CPL, NVFR and ATPL's while working full time, learnt how to get up at 4am and study and how to say no to social events I really wanted to go to because I had to go fly the next day or study... Good practice for when you start to fly commercially I say!
