Someone was asking here recently about (cheap?) sources of wood suitable for modelling.
I have come across the 6" long stirrers sold with coffee cups these days which are about 1/4" wide. Enquiring of the cafe proprietor, he said that he gets them in boxes of 1000 for £1-50p
1000 lots of 1/4" would be 250 inches, or 24' 10" by 6", about
12 sq ft for £1-50.
So, who knows of someone with a cash-and-carry card?