TIL that dollar store spice blends cost me way more than I thought

I used to grab those big plastic jars of Italian seasoning and taco mix from the dollar store every single week because it felt like such a smart money move. Then about 2 months ago I actually sat down and did the math after my sister asked me why my chili tasted weird. Those cheap blends are mostly salt and filler, so I was using like triple the amount to get any real flavor, which meant buying new jars every 8 days instead of every 5 or 6 weeks. I added it up and figured I was spending around $35 a month on spices alone, which is insane when you think about it. I switched to buying whole cumin, oregano, and chili powder from the bulk bin at WinCo for about $12 total and those have lasted me almost 3 months now. The flavor is so much better too, my roommate actually asked what I changed. Has anyone else done the reverse and found a cheap shortcut that actually works out cheaper in the long run?