My style - when I was working and could afford it - was to watch the sales to pick up fabric I couldn't live without, or sometimes for a particular project, but usually the fabric would speak (sometimes yell my name) to me and tell me I had to bring it home with me. The really dangerous place to be was one LQS that would mark down fabric to $2.99/yd - the fabric that had been on the shelf, but space was needed for new fabric. Then I would pick up enough fabric to back a quilt or quilts, as I said - dangerous. But it was so much fun, and I picked up some really great fabric. One fabric in particular had been purchased as a backing, but it demanded to be the focus fabric in a queen size quilt. I always did love a bargain.