Another thing you could do is to skip the CFI and buy an old 150 or Aeronca Champ. To get your CFI plus AI and MEI costs a lot of money. If you were to use it to buy a small plane instead you could fly it to build time until the market recovers.

I was faced with the same situation when I graduated right into the recession of the early 1990's. I bought the ratings and a friend of mine bought a plane instead. He was flying while I was sitting at home doing nothing with a worthless instructor license. In no time he had 500 hours and was off and running.

I would pick one with a mid-time engine and an autogas STC. Ignore paint and radios. Just get a cheap junker with a strong engine and fly the snot out of it.

Skyhigh