At any price level, regardless of increases or not, there will be people that cannot afford to join a club and people that drop out as their circumstances change 'down the road'
If you joined the club solely on the basis you thought you could make some kind of saving through becoming a LM in 3 years I think that was a bit naive.
My fees just went up to $55 a year. Im not griping.

I have to say Im a bit surprised you consider the price increase makes membership unaffordable to you when I regularly see you bidding several thousand $$ for items on ebay.

"I am 40 and hoped to be here a long long time"
What is a long long time? 15 years? Cant be less or you wouldnt consider it an issue at all. OK, a $150 increase over 15 years is 20 cents a week. Geez, get real people - $450 LM or $30 a year only equates to 58 cents a week. Thats 20% of my chocolate biscuit allowance

How many people are there here actually griping about the price? 3, or maybe 4. Yes I hear you telling me that 20 people took the chance to become LM's now at the lower rate. Some of those have been eligible for ages. They could have taken LM a long time ago and saved even more $$. Yet you criticise them and suggest new members will merely be subsidising them.

BTW - My membership number does not have LM in front of it

Ive been (and still am) a member of many clubs in my lifetime. Some at great cost, others not. It swings both ways and I have no say over it. I dont question the organisations either. Here are a couple examples.

I joined a golf club 8 years ago when I moved to where I live now. I paid a non-refundable signing on fee of $1500. I also bought compulsory 'stocks' of $1000 (although that is transferable if I leave). When I joined the annual subs were $500. 8 years on and they have doubled. I get no more for my money now than when I joined. I have to accept it or 'walk'. There is no such thing as LM available.

In the UK we have a sport called 'cricket'. The worlds cricket headquarters, 'Lords' happens to be the home ground of my local team and is administered by an organisation known as the MCC. Its considered a privilege to join and you have to be invited. I was invited to join 28 years ago. In those days the annual fee was $30. For that you got to see 40 days of sport per year FOC. I did a lot (still do) of fundraising for them through Sportsmans Club charity events (Dinners, Gambling nights, Auctions, Golf days etc.). 10 years ago (by which time the annual fee was $75 I was invited to become a life member at $1500. I took it up. 10 years down the line to today and the annual dues would have been costing me $200, with LM at $3000. Most would consider $1500 was a lot of money. Others would consider it a good deal. If you were committed then it was a good deal.

Its called 'swings and roundabouts'