At first, you may be inclined to say "see ya, Costco" after hearing this news. Nobody wants to get stuck paying more for any given service at a time when life has gotten so unbearably expensive. But here's why it pays to keep your Costco membership despite the higher price tag.

An increase of more than 8 percent will take effect on Sept. 1. The base membership will go up by $5, to $65 per year.

Costco has announced plans to raise its membership prices for the first time in seven years. Here's how they stack up against Sam's Club and BJ's.

Costco's membership fees are rising. Does an upgraded Executive membership make financial sense in light of that? Find out here.

This Costco deal gives you a $40 store card with your Gold Star membership purchase -- effectively cutting the price down to just $20. Sign up before Costco's membership price increase this fall.

Starting Sept. 1, warehouse giant Costco is raising its membership fee. The cost for a basic individual membership goes up $5 to $65 for Costco's U.S. and Canada Gold Star members. For those with an executive membership,

Costco membership is an easy call for big families. A basic Gold Star membership currently costs $60 per year, and you can save money on tons of products, ranging from gift cards to travel packages to gas and electronics.

It has been seven years since Costco raised membership fees, and although there was some hope that a crackdown on shared membership cards would help avoid a price hike, the company announced that it will indeed make a change late in the summer.