Tired Soul- I agree with you, but since he appears to be cash-strapped, I’m simply suggesting that once PVT is complete he gets a bit of VFR PIC XC time- maybe 10 to 20 hours- rather than mere T/O&L’s at the home airport to maintain currency until he’s ready for Instrument training- make every hour count towards the next step... nobody I know needed all 50 XC hours to be hood time to be ready for their instrument check ride... this is what I recommend to my students...