What's the cheapest way to buy sand?

The cheapest way to buy sand is to buy it in bulk from a local landscape supply yard, quarry, or building materials supplier rather than in small bags from a home improvement store. Bulk sand is sold by the ton or cubic yard and costs about 20 to 50 dollars per ton for common fill sand, river sand, or concrete sand, whereas bagged sand at Home Depot costs about 100 to 160 dollars per ton when you calculate bag price. If you only need a small amount like 200 pounds, buying bulk may have a minimum, but many yards will let you shovel your own into buckets or trash cans for a small fee, often called U-pick or self-serve, which is cheapest. Another cheap option is to check Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, or local Buy Nothing groups where people often give away leftover sand from projects for free. For very small amounts, buying from a hardware store's bulk bin is cheaper than pre-bagged play sand. To save on delivery, bring a pickup truck or trailer and haul it yourself, as delivery fees of 50 to 100 dollars often exceed the cost of the sand itself. For play sand for kids, buying all-purpose sand from a masonry supplier is much cheaper than branded play sand.