Seeing this on the repost way after the fact.

You'll be able to learn more, faster if you're legal. Just use an address that isn't your home for the license. You just need to be able to receive mail there. If SHTF nobody will care about licenses. It's worth paying the liberty price now for the advanced skills you'll have available later. Studying for the test will teach you things that may someday prevent damage to an irreplaceable radio, also. It's a tradeoff.