i have a lot of fabric, so i can wait for a really good 'clearance' sale. unless, of, course, i see something that i must have . in that case, i'll buy it at retail.
i recently had a conversation with a friend about s + h. if i wait for a great sale, i have no trouble spending $50 - $100 on fabric that costs $2.00 - $2.99 a yard. the s + h goes down proportionately as the yardage goes up. i showed her some statements (which i keep) so she could see for herself that if the the sale is terrific, the s + h only adds around .30 - .50 a yard. that is still a great buy.
the sale has to be wonderful, but when it is then i'm on it like flies on a popsicle! that makes it possible for me to spend retail on something special that i can see real possibilities for.