I just got the Australia's magazine and paid $10.95. I don't mind paying that much,but, it is always hard to find. The issues have numbers instead of the months and sometimes they are old issues by the time we get them. I love to get all the international magazines.
Back to the price of fabric, you only get what you pay for. I like sales also but it is hard for the LQS to have them on a regular basis. They do lose money on the fabric if it goes below 40%. They are hoping that you will grab a notion or two. The fabric manufactures set the price, then the s&h gets added, then the tax. Please support the LQS, without them we would not have quilt shows, quilds and shop hop's I never saw walmart ever getting interested in quilting activities. Shop online if you must, but again it does look differant from the ad and why it is cheap because there isn't overhead cost. but it's also not personable you don't get help choosing the fabric. feeling it and seeing it first hand.
In Australia it seems that the fabric is expensive, but what is the exchange rate? In Europe a few years ago I went to a shop and I was shocked at how much,and they had the same fabric as the U.S. It would have been the same as in the U.S. if I could have paid with american dollars.