seems to me that the common thread is that some companies love to do an ultra twist on marketing whereas the thing they are offering requires so much time or money, it ends up costing you more in the end, but you are already stuck in with them in ways that make it hard to get out without some sort of hostage-held loss!

keep it going... I am thinking of writing a book, offering it at a discount if you do this and that, and then not following thru on your promotional offer code unless and until you call my CSRs about 200 times a day!
MM