I buy from discount places, or the sale tables at LQS - a lot of people will say stuff like "I can only afford Walmart" - and if a particular piece of fabric at Walmart is GOOD QUALITY I will buy it IF the price is right - but why pay $5 a yard at wm for low quality fabric when you can get out-dated (last year's or the year before) of Kaufman, Marcus Brothers, Windham etc..
Whittle's, Marshall dry goods etc etc
I usually hunt for a "quilt" and get two yards of each of the fabrics that I'm deciding on - sometimes 3 yards of one of them for sashing or whatever... then I can use a solid or whatever out of my stash..
I got Tall Cotton solids yesterday at Marshall's for $1.99 a yard - it FEELS LIKE KONA solids - nice and heavy and soft... not see thru etc..
I got some Kaufman for $3.99 a yard - I also got some Kaufman at Hancocks on the markdown for $3.95 a yard...
No way shape or form would I pay $8 or better for a yard of fabric -