Instead of paying cash, you invest your time in finding your items, getting them home and preparing them for use. I needed a big stone for a step to a new outhouse. I walked slowly, examining shale outcrops for something big enough to serve, but small enough to move. These blocks were higher-quality, but heavier. Moving them would be painful.
Shopping is an endless list of decisions.
So is gathering materials in the Bush. If I can't find the perfect item at one spot, I know all the different local areas where I can look. I usually start with the easiest location, same as when I'm shopping in Fairbanks, and then move on to more remote sites if I can't find what I need. I like birch saplings for sled rails. These grow scattered along our beach, but they're often crooked and have a poor taper.