I have friends with cutting machines of various sorts who just love their different machines for the different things they do. For me... I've played a bit and it's just not so much for me and what I do -- but I can see where if I did other things I'd be really loving it. Tumblers, applecore, applique, lots of uses.
I wanted to say that I don't usually keep track of the pricing of things, but I started going to Tuesday Mornings (a discount home goods type chain) from a mention of fabric there. They do carry a random variety of layer cake and other precuts, sometimes Moda, sometimes other brands at about half quilt shop prices. I stopped by one because of that thread and I was in the neighborhood, and actually found what I was looking for there and not where I was looking!
Pertaining to this thread, they have a large section of Cricut accessories and products at what look to me to be pretty good prices compared to other places.
My hubby was with me one day when I was running errands and found the brand of coffee syrup he prefers there for a lower price than the type he usually gets. They've been closed in the Seattle area for the last couple of months but recently reopened, and since it's near his work he stopped by and indeed picked up several bottles of coffee flavoring.