I'm sure a good part of the hit you take in ordering materials on this side of the pond comes in shipping and there's probably not much that can be done about that. I fish mostly dries in fresh water and for a lot of my flies, caddis and hoppers/terrestrials in particular, I look to alternate, inexpensive sources to provide/assist floatation like cdc and foam in addition to or in lieu of hackle. Doesn't work in all cases, especially for a lot of the mayflies (couldn't tie a decent Sparkle Dun if you held a gun to my head) I tie, but it does help cut down on cost and fish don't seem to care. I was fortunate to get a lot of my hackle from the bargain bins at shops and shows so my supply will probably outlive me; still think the best bargains are the Whiting 100 packs (or similar products). I've had a lot of good luck finding stuff on EBay; sorry you haven't had the same.

Regards,
Scott