I decided I liked scrappy quilts when I discovered members of my quilt guild give away their scraps! I have bought most all my yardage fabric off craigslist/offer up and from a local store that was going out of business (40%off!).
I also have skimped on batting and chosen to use flannel yardage instead. much cheaper and works well for those in warmer climates. When I do use batting, I save the trimmed off scraps and then piece them together until they are a usable size again.
I am a slow quilter, so I may only spend a few hundred dollars a year on quilt supplies.