I am fairly new at fly tying. However, I have found suddenly that Michaels, Joanns and Hobby Lobby are some of my best new friends for shopping - feathers, foam, beads, thread, wire, tools, extra wooden spools etc. And the prices are about 1/3 to 1/2 of fly shops.

I have learned to make the neatest fly boxes for about $1.25. Michaels has these tin gift boxes (for gift cards) and Joanns has the thick foam. Cut the foam to size and insert. A good fly box at a very reasonable price. I used clear duct tape to create a hinge on the box so you can open it with one hand. Works for me.