Sell your soul - for tires?

I priced out some tires for my car: P205/55/VR16's. First choice was Bridgestone Potenza, then Hankook....then some other friggin' brands.... I made phone calls. They wanted $220 per TIRE PLUS the cost to mount and balance them!

JESUS.

The shoulders on my Bridgestone Potenza RE50's are frickin' BALD. It's what happens on all wheel drive cars when you don't rotate them quick enough (I know, I know). But seriously - at $220 per tire I could easily spend that money on ultra-premium Pirelli ZR-rated tires (the ones they put on Corvettes). Do I need them? No. I just need a damn economical and SAFE tire. And so the hunt continues - craigs list, the buy and sell - hoping - praying someone with a Subaru is getting rid of their stock tires and will sell 'em. Fat chance. Maybe I should sell the car and get an Amish buggy? It would certainly be a sweet ride in the summer (except for the cleanup). :)