Congratulations! You can find the dies on sale from 30% to 50% off. I post in Resources when I find a sale. Be sure and go to the accucutquilters site at yahoo groups. Lots and lots of tricks and tips there. Be sure and mark you dies that save a lot of time. Check out Youtube for GO videos.
I think the first demos gave everyone the impression there is a lot of fabric waste because the fabric covered the whole die plate for easy and fast demoing.
I save all my scraps and sew them together and cut shapes from them. Be sure and read the how to on the Go website. There are some dies that have to have the fabric on the straight of grain, most I just cut any way the fabric will fit.
I buy myself presents all the time and don't think anything about it. I have gifts under my tree to me from me every Christmas. :lol: