So, one day you feel like buying a new domain. You go tripping to Network Solutions to check for availability and yay it’s available! Knowing that your domain name is so unique (i.e. www.ohsouniqueyoucannotbeat.com), you decided to take a couple of days to check out the various hosting packages available. Just when you’ve decided on one reasonable package, you are greeted with the dreaded – www.ohsouniqueyoucannotbeat.com is no longer available. In fact it was registered the same day you were reassured by Network Solutions.

Once you whois it, you lose the right to purchase it at sub USD10. Cost of my lesson? USD34.99.

Moral of story: Do not check for availability unless you want to register it immediately. Sucks, I know. Read more here and here.