I get the car back from the mechanic after getting an oil change and a new fan belt for it, and I am told that the car needs a new radiator within a month or so, even though the same mechanic, on the last car change, only suggested getting a new fan belt. The bank tells me to go to their website and pay a certain fee for a program that will help me save “even more money” on my accounts, though I am not sure how I was saving any money already.

The grocery store cashier, while giving me a bag for my purchases, tells me that they will have a limited supply of a new brand of orange juice soon, and that I should come back to buy some within a few days or else they will all be sold out for a while. Maybe businesses know that I can be lured back in by attractive things like orange juice?

The 12 year old won’t give me my $8 back

The 12 year old kid by the street sells me cookies, takes my $10 first and then, only after I have taken the first bite, says that he does not have the $8 change, and that I should come back tomorrow to get discounted cookies from the money he owes me; cannot damn him, since the cookies are either really good or they have drugs in them. The sub-sandwich store gives me a $5 coupon valid for 3 days only for a new sandwich they have, and this sandwich costs $8 more than their current, most expensive sandwich.

I return a defective electronic item I buy at an electronic store to get back my $389 in cash, since I paid cash, and I am told to either wait 5 weeks for a refund check, or to get their store gift card with $389 on it, which I can only use to buy more electronics from the same store.

You want me to pay you to lure me in? Sure.

The funny thing is that despite all the typical bias many people have against businesses and entities which take your money, each one does provide me with a service before trying to lure me in. Maybe I like paying people to seduce me?