The moratorium is completely optional -- the goal is to shop stash first, but yes you can buy if needed. "Need" has various definitions
We also have a few extra exemptions here and there -- store closing is generally agreed to be a good reason, but birthday or travel exemptions are also available.
I've been pretty good about no-full price fabric for decades, and when I joined the moratorium a couple of years ago I still gave myself a thrift store exemption -- I think a garage sale exemption might be a good way to get started.
And I consider sharing free fabric, whether giving or taking as fundamentally ok. I just try to ask myself if I really see me using whatever it is in the next five years or not.
My end goal is to not have to have a quilter's estate sale, oh I know there will still be tons of stuff at the end but I'm reducing the load now to what I really want and really hope to use.