I've been buying fabric for many years now. As a school teacher, I always wanted to have things on hand for snow days (or weeks - I live in Maine). I continue to buy fabric and have an incredible stash. I favor scrap quilts, so I don't generally buy lots of any one fabric. I do purchase remnants, sale fabrics, and fat quarters. And bolts of muslin. If I have a set plan in mind, I figure out on graph paper how much of each I need. We refer to this my OCD affliction. And I hate to ever use all of a fabric up. Shortly into my quilting passion, I purchased a book called Color and Cloth by Mary Coyne Penders. I realized from doing her exercises what colors I avoided. I filled in the holes in my collection then and continue to be "very liberal" in my choices. You never really know when (in my case) orange will be just what you need. I should have enough for retirement - but that isn't gonna stop me from purchasing. My cupboards may be empty - but I "treat" myself with fabric!