As far as price, I've also just discovered legal OEM selling. A fraction of the price, with the caveat that there's no support from the software company. I can count the times I've used direct company support for any software on one hand, so I don't consider that a major drawback. I'm still not quite sold on the idea, but if I decide one of the high-priced programs is the way to go that's very likely how I'd buy it.
Right now I'm looking at all kinds of things, from vectors to forums to shopping carts, to decide what steps to take after my current updating is finished - but that's going to be awhile (I'm up to "gray" alphabetically).