Many great ideas here, many that I use myself. I make a lot of charity quilts and one way I can do that is to buy background fabrics on sale, whites, creams, colors that read like solids. Most recent find was 10 yards of a great creamy fabric for 1.69 per yd. That fabric will go a very long way as I make a lot of scrappy quilts and it will unify the blocks and make the quilt look great. My guild has a big stash room and we get donations from people clearing out Granny's old stuff. Many times there are yards of light colored prints. After washing and drying those fabrics I use them as the foundation for the hundreds of scrappy string blocks I make every year.
Batting always bought at half price, keep leftovers for smaller quilts and piece last bits together for doll quilts or doggie pads. We quilters work hard to save dollars so we can keep at our passion. May in Jersey