I just have one motto when it comes to articles: cheap rarely means good, while pro usually means overpriced.
Indians for example can produce a mass quantity of cheap articles, but they suck so much you’d be ashamed of putting it up on your website without rewriting it.
Pros that know the value of gambling articles overcharge. A decent alternative is hiring a “pro” writer but that usually writes about something that doesn’t pay well.
The best person I’ve bought articles from was some guy who had lost his job and wanted to work from home, sort of like Lady Holdem said. Unfortunately for me, he found a job.
I guess those are my random thoughts about the subject based on my limited experience (as in more than a couple, less than a lot).