Staying productive and instrument current as a CFI at ATP mins

I’ve been at ATP minimums since fall of 2024. Since then, I’ve had to take a second job in order to pay rent. So now I’m flying roughly 30hrs/month and working a 2nd job to get by.

After applying to every 121/135 out there, I understand it’s mostly a waiting game now. With that being said, I want to keep myself sharp and set myself up for success whenever Frontier (or another employer) calls.

Currently I’m just a CFI, and for a long time had aspirations to be a CFII. Unfortunately it’s just not in the cards at this point. I don’t have the money to pay for the flight hours or checkride, and there’s only one DPE within a 400 mile radius of me that’s doing CFII checkrides in the next 4 months.

Not only that, but with frontiers cadet program agreement I don’t want to risk another checkride no matter how confident I am going into it.

So the game plan is this:

1.) get my IGI and try to teach instrument ground when able 2.) set aside a few minutes every other day to review IFR regulations and procedures 3.) use my schools BATD to shoot 3 approaches/week to maintain currency and proficiency as best I can

Yes I know a simulator is not the real thing. But student loan payments on the horizon (and rent and everything else life throws at me), I want to do what I can.

Are there any words of advice to add to this plan? Would it be frowned on to have some many ground simulator hours/approaches during a logbook audit?

Any feedback is appreciated.