You are lucky that the stores in the lower 48 don't get charged the shipping that we do in Alaska. Along with the increased prices our stores are having to pay astronomical shipping costs. The more the fuel costs go up the more the shipping goes up, sometimes to a dollar a yard extra. We are lucky that our quilt stores try to keep the costs to the consumer down. On trips to the lower 48 states I have been shocked that the prices are the same there as here when the shipping is no where near the same as it is for Alaska.
I have been a clearance and sale shopper of fabric for a long time. I tell my husband I'm collecting for retirement. Now I'm glad I did, as my stash has enough to keep me going for many years to come and retirement is looming.