Are you trying to just get your private or are you considering career pilot?

Either way my advice is pretty much the same - do not go into debt. Either save up and do it all at once or pay as your go.

The problem with pay as you go, is you might not be able to fly all that often if finances are such. As a 2+ year CFI, I can tell you from experience (personal and observing students) that the more often you fly, the better you are. I recommend 2-3 times per week. Especially during the private and instrument stages.

Airplane costs/rental have gone up. For airplane+CFI, I would say easily $130/hour in a 150. Maybe a little less, but quite possibly more. You need at LEAST 40 hours: 20 with an instructor, 10 solo and the rest filler - I recommend with an instructor. Even the best people have a hard time being ready to even solo after 20 hours, let alone solo cross country and pass a checkride.