to reduce the cost you can tell the flying club to take 45 min fam and 45 min of each check i.e day ,night and i guess ir renewal is 1 hour ... so u can do fulfill all requirements in 3:15 hr ( or less as i am not sure about IR )..
my problem is also same.. my IR has lapsed n itz been 3 yrz... so have no idea about tht ..
i also wanted to ask fellow pilots wthr renwing of Ir is worth or not...????