Money saved?

[Randar]

I don't know that I would call it getting hosed exactly. But your feeling that base grains cost 2-3 at LHBS is off-base. I am in the Philly area and both of my LHS charge between $1.20 and $1.40 / lb.

I would love to get a group purchase together. I'm in for 300# or so.

Can you talk your LHBS guys into selling you sacks of grain straight up? Most times they get pallet shipments on a regular basis and even if they won't sell you something out of the back the day you show up, you can probably work out a price given a pre-order for the next shipment. I can get prices competitive with all of the online HBS prices without the shipping cost from my LHBS.