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In a Budget Crunch, More People and Places are Going Off the Grid to Save Money

Written by adminMay 21, 2019

It was on Vancouver Island that a principal of a tiny school in a small town discovered a huge secret. False Bay School, on Lasqueti Island, with only two classrooms and thirty students, was being run on solar power, even during the dark and rainy fall months. The town itself is completely off the electrical grid, which has forced all 450 residents to embrace the solar power revolution.

Previously run on fuel, the switch to solar energy has saved the school nearly $25,000 per year. And the principal, Reid Wilson, wholeheartedly believes that the technology will advance enough in the next decade that the school will be completely self-sustaining. He now realizes the opportunities alternative energy presents. His own home is powered mostly by a water turbine on his neighbor’s pond during the winter months and solar during the summer.

Teaching Students About Living Off the Grid

While some schools find going off the grid more convenient, others actually offer courses in it. The Mountain School in Vermont is one of them. They don’t just study living life away from the industrial complex, but allows high school students to live on an actual organic farm for a whole term. While keeping up with a normal course load, they must also learn the basics of organic survival.

From chopping wood and taking care of animals to growing their own food, these students are required to get down and dirty as they study forestry and agriculture. The students and teachers live in tiny houses on the property. Perhaps the most challenging part is the lack of internet access. Talk about getting a real taste living off the grid!

Serving a Greater Need

As amazing as it is for solar energy to save taxpayers thousands of dollars on a school’s energy costs, there’s an entirely different side to this story we don’t often think about. We are privileged enough to live in a society where we can take electricity use for granted. Saving a few extra bucks and cutting down on pollution is a great way to remain progressive, but there are still more than a billion people who live in non-electrified villages all over the world.

According to GivePower Foundation President Hayes Barnard, there are still 1.3 billion people who live without electricity. That translates to 291 million kids who go to schools without any form of electricity at all. In poor, impoverished countries like Haiti, Uganda, Nigeria, Mali, and Ghana, GivePower has claimed to have powered over 1500 schools with a simple solar panel stationed on the roof for every two classrooms.

Other companies, like GRID alternatives, has a program where they go into off-grid towns in places like Nepal to help power schools, clinics, homes, and farms to help drastically improve their quality of life.

Where it seems as if those in the western culture are looking for ways to get off the grid, solar technology in more disadvantaged parts of the world will help them catch up to the rest of us by providing badly needed resources, especially when it comes to education.

While the CEO of Facebook, Mark Zuckerberg, works hard to connect the world by providing internet access to these same impoverished nations, combined with solar energy to power tools like computers, the opportunities for education and growth are endless. And according to Barnard, these opportunities are expanding rapidly.

“We’re growing our company by 500 employees every month and competing for talent against Google and other tech companies. Our employees would rather go to Nepal to be part of an earthquake relief effort or go to Malawi, Haiti or Ghana to install solar than go to a resort.”

Written by adminMay 21, 2019

Mortgage

Ask anyone who has ever spent a block of their time renting a room or an apartment, and they’ll tell you how frustrating it can be. Dealing with horrible landlords, roommates, and other tenants is never fun. If you’re one of the numerous renters who are wondering how to take the next step in life by becoming a homeowner, you may not have any idea how to get started.

Here are the top seven questions renters ask while considering if they’re ready to purchase a home:

1) What is my first step?

Before you even start looking, you need to have a good understanding of your financial situation. Unless you have the money upfront, you’ll have to work with a licensed loan officer to determine if you even qualify and how much you qualify for. If there’s a black mark on your record, they can create a plan to help address those issues and get your credit in a bit better shape.

2) Does my credit score affect the interest rate?

Your credit score is a good indication of how well you’ve borrowed and paid back money in the past. This is why lenders use it as a benchmark to determine whether or not they want to offer you a home loan. If you have a poor credit score, lenders might not be so willing to trust you.

Imagine having a friend who asks to borrow $20 from different people in the neighborhood, but never pays anyone back. Eventually he’ll run out of people willing to help him, because word will get out he’s not good with the money previously lent to him. That’s how a credit report works.

Now, even if you have a great credit score, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll get a better interest rate, but you will likely be presented with many more options at your disposal than someone with a poor credit score. If you have a good score and some money to use as a down payment, you will have more loan options and be trusted with better offers.

3) Do I need to make a down payment?

The more a person is willing to put down on a house, the better their loan and rates will be in the future. But there is an option available for people who want 100% home financing. 100% home financing means a buyer won’t have to spend a single dollar of their own money on a down payment. The issuing bank will loan you the whole price of the house.

Other programs, like the USDA and/or VA, exist to assist buyers in getting approved for a 100% home loan. Speak with a local mortgage professional for more information.

4) How do I find a house to buy?

Once you have all your financial situation ready, it’s time to start shopping for your new home. To begin that process, it’s highly recommended to hire a local realtor to represent you. When you sit down with a realtor, be prepared with a list of all the amenities you want your home to have. Do you want extra land? A swimming pool? Is there a certain neighborhood or school district you want to stay in? Are there ones you want to avoid? A realtor will help you narrow down your options.

5) Can I find homes for sale only in my area?

When you hire a realtor, they will have access to all the homes for sale in the area through a database called the Multiple Listing Service, or MLS. Every real estate agent in the state lists their homes, photos, and relevant details in that database, making it easier to find exactly what you’re looking for. Only license realtors have access to it as well, so they will have more information about each listing than you’d find on a national real estate website.

6) When do I make my offer?

Once you find the house that suits your needs and fits the general price you can afford, then you can put up your offer. While it can seem like a good idea to take as much time as possible before making a decision, it’s imperative to make a fast offer. A lot of buyers who wait find themselves in a multi-offer situation where other buyers are interested and making higher offers, ultimately costing you thousands of extra dollars if you decide to up your offer.

7) What’s my next step?

Once you have everything situated, it’s a great time to review their current auto, home, and life insurance policies. With this new journey in life, you will want to be as responsible as possible by protecting the ones you love in case the worst happens. It’s the only way to be 100% protected. You may think affording insurance is difficult, but most places will offer bundled savings.

Written by adminMay 21, 2019

Life Style

Not too many of us remember our commencement speaker, unless they were someone famous. In the back of our minds, we were thinking about getting the heck out of there. Summer was coming and it was time to be done! If you are part of the Morehouse College Class of 2019, you won’t be forgetting your commencement speaker anytime soon.

Robert F. Smith is a technology investor and a billionaire. He is the CEO of Vista Equity Partners and was asked to speak at Morehouse College to send off the graduates. Little did the students know, this billionaire CEO was going to announce to the world he was going to pay off all the student loans. What an incredible moment it was!

You could see in the crowd plenty of shocked faces as the audience stood and gave Smith a standing ovation. The amount of student loans for the class of 400 totals somewhere near $40 million. Smith also pledged a $1.5 million gift to the school as well. So, it’s easy to see how this man is clearly giving back to the next generation. In fact, he tells them to do the same.

“On behalf of the eight generations of my family that have been in this country, we’re gonna put a little fuel in your bus. This is my class, 2019. And my family is making a grant to eliminate their student loans,” Smith said to nearly 400 graduating students who cheered when they heard the news. “I know my class will make sure they pay this forward…and let’s make sure every class has the same opportunity going forward because we are enough to take care of our own community.”

Student Loans and Politics

Student loans has been a highly politicized topic in recent months. Most of the Democratic candidates at the beginning of their campaign has promised to champion the student loan debt problem. Currently, 44 million Americans owe $1.53 trillion. That’s not a number that appears to be going down anytime soon.

Yet, it’s moments like what went down at Morehouse College that has people paying attention. Morehouse is an all-male school that is historically all black. It’s located in Atlanta, Georgia. Smith says a person’s education shouldn’t be left up to where they live or the color of their skin. We should all be helping in our own way.

“Where you live shouldn’t determine whether you get educated. Where you go to school shouldn’t determine whether you get textbooks,” Smith said. “The opportunity you access should be determined by the fierceness of your intellect, the courage in your creativity and the grit that allows you to overcome expectations that weren’t set high enough.”

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, one of the voices along with Bernie Sanders calling for free college for everyone, made her voice known on this topic. She tweeted:

“Every Morehouse Class of 2019 student is getting their student debt load paid off by their commencement speaker. This could be the start of what’s known in Econ as a ‘natural experiment.’ Follow these students & compare their life choices w their peers over the next 10-15 years.”

She added in another tweet, “It’s important to note that people shouldn’t be in a situation where they depend on a stranger’s enormous act of charity for this kind of liberation to begin with (aka college should be affordable), but it is an incredible act of community investment in this system as it is.”

Written by adminMay 21, 2019

Politics

Like most state governors and commissioners across the country, they want a clean economic record. The desire to draw jobs and industry to their state is an understatement. Those industries bring money to the people, who ultimately pay taxes that improve the state as a whole. One of those states looking to improve its economic standing is Alabama.

Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens is no different. He wants to improve the working and living conditions of his county. He has had a goal of driving more businesses to the state as a whole. For example, lower taxes have allowed for Hollywood to film some major movies throughout the state.

Now, that might be changing. Last week, Alabama is one of several states who decided to update their abortion laws. More specifically, Alabama signed into law the most restrictive abortion bans in the entire country. As you can imagine, this has left many pro-choice groups very angry.

Will the Abortion Ban Hurt Alabama?

The big question for us is the economical impact of this abortion ban. Commissioner Stephens doesn’t think there will be much of an impact. It’s not as if anyone didn’t realize Alabama was a southern red state through-and-through. For the most part, Alabama holds religious values seriously and is pro-life.

“If they have been conceived, they have rights,” Jefferson County Commission President Jimmie Stephens said. He’s among the right-wing officials of the state. It’s clear where his values stand, but he also doesn’t think his stance will impact any growth in the state’s economy. “The incentives we have been able to offer the film industry I think would more than offset their personal feelings according to abortion,” Stephens said.

The problem is, there is backlash. This news has created a major stir and has made the national news spotlight. In particular, many stars in Hollywood are calling for a boycott. They did the same to Georgia when they signed a restrictive abortion ban themselves. It’s all about the culture in which companies want to hire in.

Bob Robicheaux, a retired UAB business expert, said the abortion law could be a concern for some companies. “I do think they do have a concern and should have a concern,” said Robicheaux.

Economic Impact

While Commissioner Stephens is eager to draw industries to set up shop in Alabama, this new abortion law might stop anyone from coming. Maybe CEOs who lean towards the right and agree with the law won’t have any problem doing so, but it could come at a cost to overall business. Many of these businesses look at the culture of the places they locate as it reflects their place as a whole.

“It will harden opinions. People who have favorable opinions about Alabama who agree with this decision will think more favorably and those who have negative opinions will think more negatively,” Robicheaux said.

At the end of the day, it’s the dollar and financial bottom-line that matters the most. If a company can move to Alabama for its low taxes and make money, they won’t care about the abortion law. Since it’s still new, the economic impact can’t be fully predicted as of yet.

Written by adminMay 17, 2019

Life Style

Candrice Jones is like any other low-income parent in American. She struggles to make ends meet and does the best that she can. Her husband can’t work due to an injury from a car accident. She herself works odd jobs at a temp agency. In order to take the financial burden off her shoulders, she applied to get her son Kyrie free lunch.

Kyrie is in the 7^th grade at Coolidge Junior High in Illinois. He has a learning disability and is part of an individualized education program to help him overcome. One day out of the blue, Candrice received a bill near $1,000. Her son’s lunch application was not processed correctly, so the only time he got free lunch was the first month. Every other month racked up a debt.

“I felt bad as a mother because I couldn’t take care of the bill,” she said. “It’s almost a thousand dollars. I don’t even have it. I couldn’t pay it off if I wanted to.” After the mistake was caught, she had to fill out a second application, which finally worked correctly and the rest of his lunches were covered.

The school declined to comment on the situation, but Candrice says the school still expects her to pay the $1,000 debt and even told her to make payments if she has to. That is leading to more school hardships for Kyrie. He is being forced to sit out of any school events until the debt is paid. That means no dances, sporting events, or fieldtrips. That means no Homecoming or Prom when he’s a senior.

School Lunch Debt a Growing Problem

This story isn’t unique to Kyrie and Candrice. It’s happening more frequently across the country. While this instance was a clerical error, it does to show a lot of the same problems families are having with student lunch debt. School lunches are a massive burden on a lot of families who can’t afford to pay.

It’s not just the families, but also the schools who are struggling. They have to determine where the line is between helping students who can’t pay and those who can. The line is an ever-changing point that can reveal whether a family is really needy or not. Either way, they can’t afford to accommodate every student a meal as their budgets are constantly being cut.

There’s no real official student lunch debt number. It’s difficult to make that estimate, but the School Nutrition Association surveyed 1,500 schools. They found that the average amount of student lunch debt from $2,000 to $2,500 in the past two years. The Washington Post released an article that stated students owed $500,000 in outstanding student lunch debt in Washington D.C. alone.

In Denver, Colorado, their school districts rose $13,000 since 2016 to a new total of $356,000. “School districts nationwide are really feeling the squeeze … and unfortunately, I think we’re going to be hearing more about this in the coming years,” says Diane Pratt-Heavner, director of media relations for the School Nutrition Association (SNA), referring to the persistence of school lunch debt.

“For a lot of districts, you’re looking at having to cover these costs out of the general fund. And if it’s year after year, and it’s an excessive amount of debt for the school district, that’s impactful to core educational activities.”

School Lunches on the Whole

Of course, if Kyrie’s school lunch application had been properly processed, there would’ve been no problem. The school would’ve been reimbursed by the federal government. The school lunch program is under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Their program is called the Nation School Lunch Program. It helps needy families and schools afford lunch for their students.

Every year, this program reimburses schools at the tune of $13.6 billion. The catch is, in order to qualify for free lunches, you must come from a family 130% below the federal poverty line. That equals about $32,630 per year. At 185% of income ($46,435), you would qualify for a reduced-price lunch.

While the government gives billions in food subsidies, the one thing they’re not allowed to do is use the funding to pay student lunch debt. Because schools aren’t getting that money back from the government, they put all sorts of undue pressure onto the families who often can’t afford to pay. That includes keeping the children from participating in school activities.

Many schools won’t even allow the child to walk across the stage or receive their diplomas if they owe. Candrice Jones believes that the system is completely broken. It was a clerical error on the school’s part, but that’s only a small part of the story. In her mind, the worst part is how they use the children to get money from parents.

“They know your kids are going to be upset. They know your kids are going to be mad. And so they know that your kids are going to press you to get this bill paid,” she told me. “I felt bad as a mother because I couldn’t take care of the bill.”

Written by adminMay 17, 2019

Saving

We all have a goal of reaching our golden years with enough money in the bank to make it through. The problem is, we don’t know how much money we’ll need. Life is unpredictable. We could live another 40 years after retirement as modern and future medicine works to extend our life expectancy.

The best plan is to have at least a million dollars saved up by the time you’re ready to retire. A person can make it quite a while on that chunk of change. Not to mention the interest that will grow as you get older over the time that you’re saving up. Here are seven rules that will help you save $1 million by the time you retire.

Rule #1: You Must Make Saving a Priority

If you truly want to save $1 million, you can’t be a spender. This is the number one rule for a reason. You need to develop the mindset of saving as much money as possible. You can start saving at 23 and it will take you saving $400 per month, every month, to accomplish this goal. That takes having a lot of discipline!

Rule #2: Start as Early as You Can

The earlier you start your saving process, the much better the odds you’ll make it. The later you start, the more you’ll have to save each month to get there. Or you’d have to do some type of Wall Street investing into the right stocks. Still, the clearest and safest picture is investing early, especially so you can take advantage of compound interest on your savings.

Rule #3: Look at the Different Retirement Plans

Your employer might have a retirement plan they’re willing to help invest in. For example, 401(k) plans are to help you reach your retirement goals. Many employers match your own investment. By taking full advantage, you should consider putting in as much as your employer will allow you. Every dollar you invest is literally free money when they contribute the same.

If your employer doesn’t do a 401(k), then look IRAs. There are a lot of ways to help grow your retirement funds. Look at all of your options. Maybe choose a company that offers the right incentives so you’re in a much better place when it’s time to retire.

Rule #4: Keep Your Hands Off Your Retirement Funds

Something a lot of people try to do is borrow or cash out some of their retirement money. They might be going through a hardship or just need some quick cash. The thing is, it’s a bad idea to take from your retirement. Not only will taxes and fees be added into the equation, you will lose the added benefits you receive with compound interest.

Rule #5: Keep the Amount of Your Debt Low

Listen, if you have a lot of debt, it’s going to be extremely hard to save for your retirement. You most certainly won’t reach your $1 million retirement goal. If you have a lot of debt, you will have to pay interest on that debt and it’s going to sap your monthly salary. Those extra thousands of dollars on interest payments could be going into your retirement fund, but are instead wasted on debt.

The ultimate goal for living a life with financial freedom is to be able to save. You need both a rainy-day fund and a retirement account. That’s the best way to protect yourself and your family against bad times, a changing economy, and any accident that might happen. Be a saver rather than a spending and you’ll do fine.

Written by adminMay 17, 2019

Saving

Looking at gas prices rise to near or over $3 per gallon is disheartening for Americans. It wasn’t but a few months ago that we were enjoying some of the lowest prices we’ve seen in decades. It certainly helped our pocketbooks and improve the economy somewhat. When gas prices are lower, everyone saves a bit more money. That is, except Wall Street.

It’s all about supply and demand…or so they say. Every year, they predict that summer gas prices are set to rise as we enter peak driving season. Families are going on vacations and longer trips during the summer months. While that’s historically true, something else has been happening. Wall Street investors have been jacking up the price.

They love to use fear to cause panic in the oil industry. They’ll talk about wars in the Middle East, pipeline concerns, and even an increased demand. But that only gets the so far anymore. The supply of oil has actually been increasing. Cars are becoming more fuel-efficient, yet we keep pumping out a lot of gas. Even the United States has become one of the larger producers of gas during Trump’s presidency.

How Wall Street Manipulates Gas Prices

You see, Wall Street investors only make money on oil and gas when the prices go up. It’s like stocks. They buy early and hope the numbers pump up so they can get value from their investment. When prices are lower, they’re not making their money. So, they create a fake panic or fears that there’s a shortage.

In reality, that’s a farce. As already explained, there’s more than enough oil supply in the world. When they start talking about potential $4 gas prices, that is intended to get people to buy, driving up demand. Of course, Wall Street desperately wants $4/gallon gas, even though it was hurt nearly every other sector of the economy.

They use economic fears, like the situation in Venezuela or decide that Russia is going to clamp down production. It seems as if anyone coughs in the Middle East, it’s time to up gas prices. It doesn’t matter if it legitimately impacts oil production or not, all in the name of profit. The weakening Chinese economy is another fear they hope will drive up prices.

What to Expect this Summer

Despite Wall Street peddling out fake news and stoking fears, the rise we’ve seen in price over the past few months is unsustainable. There is just way too much supply. If there was indeed a shortage, then yes, their fears would work and the prices would remain high. The difference is reality hits and the amount of oil really dictate the price we pay.

Even though there are fears about a war with Iran and Venezuela, one group, the Energy Information Administration, says gas prices will probably go down this summer. In fact, they predict that the price of gas this summer will be lower than it was at this time last year. They’re predicting around an average of $2.76, lower than the current average.

Written by adminMay 15, 2019

Politics

President Donald Trump is looking to give NASA’s budget a boost, including a new plan to send Americans back to the moon by 2024. In order to afford this boost without putting it in a new budget, is to take money from other programs. More notably, Trump wants to take money from the Pell Grant funds, about $1.6 billion, to give it to the space program.

This new budget amendment also looks slash money from the Special Olympics and other beloved programs to make this happen. He tweeted on Monday that NASA needs more cash so the U.S. can “return to space in a BIG WAY!” Of course, he has a long way to go before getting this money approved. It has to be approved by Congress.

Congress might use the opportunity to attack Trump for his lack of concern over education. Of course, he only wants to use the $1.6 billion that goes unused every year. He calls it a ‘waste’ and ‘unnecessary spending.’ White House officials said this would not impact the students currently receiving Pell Grant money.

“This does not cut any spending for Pell Grant programs as the budget continues to ensure all students will get their full Pell Grant and keeps the program on sound fiscal footing,” Office of Management and Budget spokesman Wesley Denton said in a statement.

Pell Grant Enrollment Down

Over the past decade, the number of people who enroll in the Pell Grant scholarship has had a steep decline. Potential applicants feel the process takes too much time to get approved. Instead, they rely on fully guaranteed federal student loans to pay for college. This is a move that has skyrocketed the student loan debt problem in this country.

Still, President Trump seems fully committed to getting the space program back into action. He’s looking for any and every way to give NASA a funding boost. He has promised that the U.S. will once again be at the forefront of a new era of space exploration. “Under my Administration, we are restoring @NASA to greatness and we are going back to the Moon, then Mars,” he wrote.

Vice President Mike Pence is also on board, saying he wants to see astronauts on the moon within the next five years. To make that happen, they will employ ‘any means necessary’, including pulling money from other budgets. It’s a great time to get public interest back on board, as this summer is the 50^th anniversary of the first moon landing.

Changing His Mind

The president has made promises to cut spending, but after proposing his own budget cuts, seems to change his mind. He’s now reversed several budget cuts, including the 90% cut he was going to make to the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative. He also called for a $17.6 million cut in funding for the Special Olympics, but thankfully changed his mind after massive criticism.

Trump tweeted Monday that he had “officially updated my budget to include $18 million for our GREAT @SpecialOlympics, whose athletes inspire us and make our Nation so PROUD!” Either way, it looks like America is headed back into space, regardless of how Trump plans to pay for it.

Written by adminMay 15, 2019

Politics

Democrats Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Bernie Sanders have a new idea they want to propose to Americans. They want to change the way we do banking. They say they have a new idea that will help the lower class and it’s called Postal Banking. This is a new system where you do more than use the post office to send packages. Now they would be able to hand financial transactions as well.

This new plan was revealed as potential new legislation by the pair. They also hope to cap credit card interest rates at 15%. This plan would give much-needed relief to low-income Americans who most likely wouldn’t be able to get a checking account at the larger banks or apply for loans.

“Post offices exist in almost every community in our country,” Sanders wrote in a blog post. “There are more than 31,000 retail post offices in this country. An important way to provide decent banking opportunities for low-income communities is to allow the U.S. Postal Service to engage in basic banking services.”

How the Post Office Bank Would Help

Banks only help those with means get a loan, open an account, cash their checks, and pay their bills. At least, that’s the assumption AOC and Sanders have. They say a post office bank would give the same opportunities to poor Americans. It could give them low-interest loans to help lift them out of poverty by starting their own business.

It will help in the same way other banks do, but without the fees. Imagine using the ATM with no fee taken out or a truly free checking account. Currently in the United States, the poor have these opportunities, but it doesn’t always turn out great for them. If they need a loan or an advance on a check, they often turn toward predatory payday lending businesses.

The Treasury Department Thinks It’s a Bad Idea

The Treasury Department doesn’t think this will be a good idea that will help any American. Mainly because the USPS is already strapped, in the red, and barely keeping their head above water. They would have no experience in helping anyone manage their own money. For these reasons, they are fully against the idea.

“Given the USPS’s narrow expertise and capital limitations, expanding into sectors where the USPS does not have a comparative advantage or where balance sheet risk might arise, such as postal banking, should not be pursued,” a report from the Treasury Department stated. Yet, this isn’t a brand-new idea.

Right now, Americans can go to a post office for money orders and small matters like that. In its early history, the USPS offered options like opening a savings account, but the idea was abandoned in the 1960s. The idea was proposed 5 years ago, but was turned down by the USPS, saying their main function was delivering mail, not as a bank.

Currently, the USPS is deeply in the red. Over the last decade, they have lost nearly $69 billion and haven’t had a profitable year over that time. Postmaster General Megan Brennan says they are currently working on a plan reform how they operate to help make the USPS profitable again. Banking doesn’t seem to be one of those options as of now.

Written by adminMay 15, 2019

Entertainment

Disney has been busy the past few years and dropping billions of dollars on entertainment empires. No one can even begin to rival Disney’s properties and rights after they recently bought Fox Entertainment, Lucas Films, Marvel Studios, and more. They also plan to create their own streaming service, Disney+.

But Disney+ won’t be the only streaming service they own. Now they also own Hulu after finishing a new deal with Comcast. They already took a controlling interest of 66% of Hulu as part of the Fox Entertainment package. Comcast owned the other third of Hulu, but recently decided to sell full rights to Disney.

According to both companies, the deal is to go into place immediately. While Disney does own the full 100%, they will continue to license Comcast content that is already on the streaming service. The deal is ultimately worth $27.5 billion, yet Comcast will receive $5.8 through the licensing of their content.

Disney Is Ready for War

Comcast was more willing to let go of Hulu because they plan on creating their own streaming service in the near future. Comcast is part of the NBC and Universal brands, so they have a lot of premium content of their own. Yet, Disney gets the license to continue streaming NBC/Comcast content and NBC live events as a part of the Hulu Live package.

Not only do they get to use NBC licensing, they now have full control over two major streaming services: Hulu and the soon-to-be Disney+. It’s clear that Disney is not going to pull any punches in their war against Netflix. Because they own Marvel Studios as well, there’s plenty of opportunity to Disney to cash in on the Avenger cash cow franchises.

Disney also owns the Star Wars franchise and just announced their plan to release three new movies in the coming years. They also plan to release new top-tier content with their own shows including Winter Soldier, The Mandalorian, Hulk, and other shows. Details are still emerging as they try to keep projects under wraps.

When Disney+ launches in November, it will only cost $6.99 per month. But if Netflix is any indication, we’ll see those prices rise dramatically. Producing their own unique content will be expensive. $6.99 is simply an introductory price to get people subscribed. The world of entertainment is changing dramatically and Disney looks to be at the front of the line.

We’re just here for the ride.

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