I love going to a 'new to me' quilt shop because every shop has it's own flavor. But, I try to stick to my rule of buying only what I need. Well, I don't need much so I resist and don't buy much.
For that occasional fabric that I truly fall in love with, I buy 3 1/2 yds. There's nothing more frustrating than to go to my stash and find that the fabric I want to use in a quilt is 1/2 yard short of what I need. And, you never know what you need until you're ready to make the quilt. That's why I don't just buy fabric willy nilly. I have a modest stash but it serves me well. If you've quilted for over 30 years like I have, you've got stash!