People never want to "get it" until they hit rock bottom.
Tubes are tubes. a 3.00 bell tube is going to be 90% as functional as a 12.00, thorn proof AcME or whoever-the-chinese-stamp-on-it tube.
Bicycle tube and tire technology is still rooted squarely in the 60's. The only way to alter the percentages of flats vs no-flats
is to suck it up and spring for the Gators; or Schwalbes. Really. Just do it