Cinnamon can be bought in 1 lb containers in the U.S. at places like Sam's CLub, a warehouse-type grocer that sells larger-size packages, for relatively low cost. One other issue with cinnamon might be the fact that cinnamon from different countries is made from different species of trees. If memory serves me, the less expensive cinnamon used in Mexico, for example, is from a species of Cassia tree that is different from the species grown in Asia. I would guess that not all 'cinnamons' have the same properties or the same percent of active ingredients.