The PPL requires about 40 hours minimum, the IFR is about 200, so yeah, you will have to get some time under your belt, about 160 hours, just to qualify for the IFR ticket.
In those 160 hours you will be taking Instrument lessons and flying cross country type flights, etc. You can save some money (or share the cost) by finding another pilot to split the cost with.
When I did it (back in 1978), I would share the ride (in a C150) with another PPL buddy who was also working on his IFR, we'd take turns flying with the hood on. One of us would fly to an airport about an hour away while wearing the hood, the other guy would be responsible for clearing for traffic, then swap seats/hood for the ride home.