Don't worry about the price hike. Twice a year
www.buy.com has an eBay special 12 months of Live for $29.99 while supplies last. (You'll see it on
www.slickdeals.net when it happens)
Also Amazon does the same thing $29-$35 twice a year.
Don't renew your membership on the dashboard for a lower price. If you read the fine print you agree to pay full price after the 12 months expire.