Joey...I hear you.
 
My son started playing bass a year or so ago. I was blown away when I saw the string prices.
 
(Message edited by Jalevinemd on August 06, 2015)

I knew a Strat guy who would just cut them off all at once (in tune and at tension!) over the neck pickup with some wire clippers, then put the new strings on.  
 
Interesting on the 6 then 1 etc method.  
 
There is an Interview where Jerry was talking about Steve Parish being his guitar tech, and Steve would mess with him all the time.  Do things like change all the strings except the G (no G string joke there) to see if Jerry would notice during the show...he did of course!!

In his intro to Steve's book, Weir tells of Steve handing him his guitar as he went on stage - with the D & G crossed........
 
Peter

as soon as I noticed the strings sounding dull I would change them-sadly that would usually be at the beginning of a practice, so I'd also get practice switching guitars mid song; I was using 14-56 strings at that time...now with bass it's about the same thing, strings sound a bit dead and I break one...I always change strings before a gig now as I rarely gig, but if I was touring I could probably go awhile on bass strings...I would likely change them more than I need to though, as I love the sound of fresh stainless strings; my frets do not though, and am facing a refret in a year or so...Tony