ALL of my bricks are from sets.
so when you order stuff from the interwebs, you a bunch of 1 piece in 1 color or what? I want specifics here
Well one time I had ordered 436 (or something like that, i dont really care to look) red 2x4s but I wouldn't suggest that.
Usually I just get the things that are appealing to me/what I need to build whatever
Or if I'm low on a particular piece I'll go on bricklink and search for that specific piece, sometimes in a specific color.
I try to get as much of a brick as I can if it doesn't raise the price by too much, if so then I'll just get what I need.
Also, it's wise to buy from a single seller and to make sure that seller is selling everything you need (Of course) for less shipping.