You may ask yourself "why should I go through the expense and labor of becoming a pilot when there are many other activities that I can enjoy for less expense like boating, motorcycling, car racing, or scuba diving"? It is true that becoming a pilot does require effort and expense. The cost is completely up to you, the student, how long you take to complete your training is flexible. Some individuals finish in a hurry while others take longer, it's up to the individual, usually the students availability and funding are the constraints, you can pay as you go one hour at-a-time or fund your training in blocks of time. 

You might  consider the boat you have been looking at will cost about the same as your training and will become obsolete in just a few years so will the motorcycle or scuba diving equipment which will also become obsolete and as for the idea of motor racing well, there is no limit to what you can spend with that endeavor. 

The beauty of having earned your pilot certificate is that it is good for your lifetime. You can exercise the privilege's forever, so long as you remain healthy and maintain your medical certificate. This makes the acquisition of your pilot license very economical and a lifelong dream.

Think of it, you can rent an aircraft, take your family anywhere you choose and eliminate the driving hassle, and in today's environment, forget about commercial airlines and the TSA inspection and scrutiny. Having a pilot "license" gives you more freedom than any other method of travel or enjoyment.  Besides, it's just plane fun!