Everyone's different, and everyone has a budget...but part of the stress of the ATP may be trying to get it with 2-5 hours in a light twin. Has anyone considered maybe getting 10-15 hours in the plane instead, perhaps with a partner and going on a X-C to Key West, the Bahamas, a nice ski destination, or similar?
Cramming for finals in college sucked. Cramming for a checkride isn't any more fun. Nobody says you HAVE to try to get an ATP in 2-3 days at a crash course. If you spread the training over a month, included some friends or family, it might even be a fun and enjoyable intro to GA.
I got mine 1994 in Vegas. I flew in after a TDY, and made a weekend of it. I have planned to fly 2-3 hours a day for 3 days...not a grueling pace and with enough time to enjoy the Vegas nightlife when I was done. Unfortunately, the student in front of me busted, which meant he needed extra time, and I ended up flying 4-5 hours Saturday and about that many Sunday. so--I did sort of have to cram. Looking back, I would have enjoyed the process a lot more, and maybe even saved money (not flying fatigued...) if I had done it locally where I was based in AK and nibbled at it for a month.
Again, I understand that most guys want to just "check the box" and get it done. That said, I know very few guys who do it that way that say "yeah...that was a good time". Now that I am an airline pilot, I understand there is a always a good deal somewhere.... I'd make the training fun if there was any way to do it.