Wow, I was a sandwich guy until last month.

Have you tried checking local farm supply stores for alternative bedding like straw? In my experience, those railroad delays mason_webb talked about are causing shortages everywhere. Even @dakotam46's hamster is dealing with this, so it's hitting small pets too. I switched to shredded leaves mixed with a bit of sand last fall, and it worked okay for my coop. Take this with a grain of salt, but sometimes you can find cheap bulk pine shavings if you ask around at sawmills. It's not perfect, but it gets the job done when prices spike.

My method for years was just cupping my hands over my ears in a quiet room. Not exactly what you'd call scientific.