It seems this thread has devolved into a pay upfront or not debate. My 2c on that part is, it is entirely dependent on a whole lot of factors so one cannot be absolutely certain it is appropriate for all possible scenarios. As a general rule of thumb, it's probably a good idea to hang onto your money for as long as possible. Having said that, I myself paid up front because the club I trained at has been teaching people to fly for 70 years and will probably be doing so long after I'm gone. YMMV.