What is your preferred way to acquire stamps?

This is (the start) to an interesting thread. Since I am a self-identified worldwide collector (once upon a time I had only specific geographic areas I collected, but that became too pedantic for me), I acquire stamps in a number of ways. Occasionally it's kiloware, although I find that after I've done all the soaking, drying and sorting I usually end up with very few stamps I need in my collection. The advantage is getting high quality used examples, especially of newer issues that are more and more difficult to find used. Sometimes I request dealer approvals, although I find that the % of catalog of prefer to pay isn't as low as I would like. I really enjoy acquiring accumulations and sifting through them, keeping what I need and trading for what I already have. I also am currently involved with a seller who offers mint from across the decades at about 17% of catalog in a large group every other month. Some good quality finds there. I enjoy being part of several collectors' exchanges, as well. But what I most enjoy is purchasing from other collectors. Knowing that I can put a little extra money in their collecting budgets while enhancing my own collection is always rewarding. There are often infrequent opportunities to connect with other collectors directly (at least in my part of the country), so this offers that opportunity as well.

Bart

Three to five times a year I get a chance to visit a stamp show, I will have a couple of major purchases from a dealer who has searched out some stuff for me then spend hours rummaging boxes of covers/ postal history. Who knows what treasures will turn up ?

I scour the depths of eBay looking for collections with stamps I'm looking for, and low view & bid counts. If I win, I usually make my money back on the ones I don't need.

Give me a large box full of old musty collections, small boxes, envelopes of duplicates etc. and I am in my happy place. The good deal I have had going for years is a long time friend and antique/collectables dealer that gets occasional estate collections that he lets me go through first to take what I want and help him lot them for his online MaxSold weekly auctions. I do have many watch items on eBay for specific collecting fields and I do buy better items from local auction. Large boxes full of stuff are still the preferred way to acquire as I find it so therapeutic. 

When i first returned to my stamps in 2018 I bought "accumulations", which gave way to specific areas of interest, which i looked for "study lots" so as  to have a large number  of each denomination to look through.  I still look for lots that have stamps for interest, and did recently win a French collection with stock books, but it largely contained stamps I already have, but i will fly-speck them all at some poiunty. Soon I may be looking for a trading partner for more specific stamps, but not quite there yet.

And I have been periodically known to just send stamps to others (who sometimes send stamps to me  or not!)

"..better to give or receive? I guess it depends on who's hand it's in."  (line from a song I wrote- Fallen Angel/Broken Man)

My collecting has boiled down to off paper kiloware. My collecting interest has turned to letter rate worldwide definitives for flyspecking and interesting cancels. The duplicates go out in packets to collectors who enjoy the larger, and more colorful stamps. It has been a rewarding experience for all involved.

If I am starting a new country, I will often try to buy a starter collection but once established I tend to buy just what I need. I try to avoid duplicates since never got into trying to trade or sell them. Successful trading can be difficult without a lot of organization. The Colnect trade setup method seems very interesting but it takes an investment of time. I also try to buy from a select group of sellers. I would rather pay a little more to reduce endless searching on ebay, hipstamp, etc. I am not much of a haggler. I will pay the price I want so never expect a counter offer from me.

banknoteguy as a new collector you sure have dove into the deep end of the pool. I guess already being a collector in other fields makes this a bit easier to do. As you say, the Indian Confederated States is a complex field. One can quickly get a large collection though due to how inexpensive a lot of it is. In regards your BB, I tend to use hinges unless the item is mint never hinged or if the catalogue value is over 20.00. If nothing else mounts make these better items stand out. 

The majority of my purchases are from online, usually eBay. I have around 25 searches registered with them for which I receive a daily morning email of the new listings in those categories.  I also check with HipStamp on occasion, but most of their listings seem to be eBay duplicates. Once in a while I will score on Delcampe.

Texas has 2 major shows, but the distance to one eliminates it from the hunt.

I feel terrible because I know of only one stamp shop in Ireland I'm forced to buy what I want from ebay mostly. Once a year and sometimes twice we have international shows in Dublin which are always great fun.