30 pounds (can't find the little symbol on my keyboard!) is about $90 here. That IS a scary purchase! :-)
We have our own auction site over here called Trade Me, and sometimes there will be people who are giving up quilting and selling off their stash. But it's not very often.
We have garage sales (like your yard sales I think) too, but so many people cruise them full time looking for stuff to resell on Trade Me for a profit it's become a bit of a wasted exercise.