Council Van,
Point well taken about the negatives of paid type ratings. I also have a family to support and that is the essence of my financial preparation.
When the day comes (still, as I have said, a long long long way off) of course I will be looking for the option that does not require the paid type rating. But for me, as always, I am going to hope for the best and prepare for the worst. If jobs are thin on the ground (which of course they almost always are) then I will do whatever it takes to obtain a job. Based on a few encouraging think tank reports recently (which I read a few nights ago and I will try and find again and share) the airlines 20 year hiatus on accepting financial risk for pilot training might be coming to an end and hopefully in a few years everything will be very different.
Thanks for the info about the airlines you have worked for.