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Mrs. Groovy and I are truly touched and humbled by this past year in blogging. Through comments, emails, tweets, phone calls (thank you, Fritz), and Skype calls (thank you, Ms. Montana), we’ve met a ton of fascinating people. And in the very near feature, two of these digital connections will move into the analog realm (see you soon Fritz, Claudia, and Garrett). But even with all the connecting we’ve done this past year with the personal finance community, we’re still amazed that anyone reads or follows us at all.
Yes, even the Groovies suffer from impostor syndrome.
To honor the end of 2016, then, we wanted to highlight some of the more interesting connections we made via tweets, blog posts, and comments. Here we go.
On the Twitter Front
Right now we have over 3,700 followers on Twitter. We realize in the scheme of things that’s nothing. There are currently over 317 million active Twitter users. But the fact that 3,700 people are following two little ol’ country bloggers from North Carolina is nothing short of remarkable. We clearly remember the days when 100 followers seemed like an impossible milestone.
Thirty-seven hundred followers! Let me repeat that. Thirty-seven hundred followers!! Where do these people come from? And why on earth are they interested in anything we have to say? Oh, the eternal mysteries of life. Well, regardless of why they decided to follow us, we’re just happy as punch that they do.
Here are our most notable followers.
James Altucher: Thought maverick, author of Choose Yourself, and host of The James Altucher Show.
Taye Diggs: Broadway and film star (Rent, Go, How Stella Got Her Groove Back) who currently plays Councilman Angelo Dubois on the television show Empire.
Nathan Latka: Producer and host of The Top, perhaps the best podcast out there for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Robert Lustig: MD, author of Fat Chance, and the #1 enemy of the sugar mafia.
Broke Millennial (aka Erin Lowry): Author of Broke Millennial, daughter of Mr. Lithium, and one of the grooviest millennials around.
PT Money: The Grand High Exalted Mystic Ruler of FinCon.
Jessica Moorhouse: Blogger, host of the Mo’ Money podcast, and another super groovy millennial.
Wade Pfau: Blogger and rockstar retirement expert who teamed up with Michael Kitces to challenge the conventional wisdom of asset allocation in retirement. This is one groovy cat.
But of all our Twitter followers, the one that impresses us the most is Ian Brock—a 12-year-old coder from Chicago whose Twitter handle is @dreamhustlecode.
Ian is the author of the upcoming book, “The Importance of CE Ed. for Kids.” He was recently part of a discussion panel on computer science education with five adults at Google (see video below). Check him out at minute 15 where he introduces himself. He talks about Beyond the Cookie, a cookie company he started with his parents to help bankroll free computer science and coding classes for economically challenged kids. And at minute 39 he discusses how he taught himself to code. This kid rocks, and we hope we remain on his radar as long as we have a Twitter account.
On the Blogging Front
Traffic to our site has improved nicely since the beginning of the year. For the first four months of the year, we averaged 1,626 unique visitors per month. For the last four months of the year, we averaged 7,214 unique visitors. Certainly not Mr. Money Mustache numbers. of course, but considering our breathtaking SEO ignorance, we’ll take it.
In 2016, we averaged 2.13 posts per week (111 in total). The four most viewed posts were all—surprise, surprise—featured on Rockstar Finance. J. Money is definitely a player in the financial blogosphere. But even our non-Rockstar Finance posts are now managing to get some love (600-800 views and 25-30 comments)—and that’s including ones covering topics as dull as Obamacare and minor league baseball.
| Post | Number of Views |
|---|---|
| Financial Advice to Young People: Don't Be DICKS | 8,140 |
| How to Become a Financial Stud Overnight | 6,933 |
| The Hannibal Lecter Guide to Personal Finance | 5,755 |
| FI Gothic | 4,313 |
On the Comment Front
In 2016, we had over 1,500 unsolicited comments. How groovy is that! And considering that when we started this blog in 2015 Mrs. Groovy had to wheedle our first two comments from two highly esteemed blogging luminaries (thank you Steve and Jim for taking pity on us), that’s damn freakin’ groovy!
Here were our celebrity commenters in 2016.
You know you’re doing something right when celebrities like these guys take the time to read and comment on your posts.
A blog, however, does not live by celebrity commenters alone. To forge a worthwhile comments section, a blog needs scores of real-life people and bloggers with insightful things to say. And fortunately for Mrs. Groovy and me, we had no shortage of such commenters. I know personally that I’m a much wiser and thoughtful person because of the feedback our commenters provided.
We, of course, would like to point out all of the great comments from 2016. But because there were so many, that’s just not feasible. So to work around this severe limitation, we decided to pay tribute to our awesome commenters by doling out three awards. Here they are.
The Most Good-Natured Comment Award
Without a doubt this award goes to Bobby (aka Millennial Money Man). I wrote a guest post for Bobby back in January that initially didn’t go too well. It hadn’t garnered one comment by the time Mrs. Groovy and I sat down to dinner on the day it was published. I was feeling disappointed, of course, and Mrs. Groovy, because she encouraged me to reach out to Bobby, was feeling miserable. So to break the sullen mood, I referred to Bobby—very respectfully, I might add—as “the Douche.” I know it sounds offensive, but it really wasn’t. I was actually equating Bobby to the iconic “Douche” character on the sitcom, Parks and Recreation. In fact, Mrs. Groovy found my Douche reference so hilarious, she wrote about it in her post, One Year of Blogging. But here’s the best part. Bobby took the “Douche” moniker in stride and graced our comments section with a very classy comment. Here it is.
The Most Humorous Comment Award
At the end of my post, I Don’t Know Diddly Squat, I concluded with the following paragraph.
Okay, groovy freedomists, that’s all I got. Have a glorious weekend. Make whoopie with your significant other [emphasis not in original]. And if that ain’t gonna happen, at least go for a walk with your significant other and hold his or her hand.
I wasn’t sure how the “make whoopie” suggestion would fly with my readers, but fortunately no one took umbridge at my call for a weekend of connubial bliss. In fact, only one commenter made reference to it. And thank heavens that Mr. Apathy Ends did. It was our funniest comment of the year. Here it is.
The Most Poetically Waxing Comment Award
Mr. PIE was our most creative commenter by far. The man has such incredible felicity with the English language. Perhaps it’s because of his UK roots. In any event, here are some examples of his golden tongue and rollicking wit.
On my FI Gothic post, Mr. PIE offered the following:
On Mrs. Groovy’s Dead Phone Walking post, Mr. PIE modified lyrics of Adele’s song Hello and left us with this jewel.
On my Should You Start an I-May-Die-Sooner-Than-I-Think Fund post, Mr. PIE decided to go a little Scottish on me.
Finally, I’ll leave you with Mr. PIE’s depiction of his Formula 1 car drive that graced the comments section of my Financial Dashboard post. His words were enriched by his partaking of his favorite drink, the single malt.
Final Thoughts
No news flash here—blogging is hard. It’s easy to start a blog, but it’s not easy to stick around. We’ve all seen promising bloggers fall off the face of the earth in relatively short order. Are Mrs. Groovy and I here to stay? Time will tell. Retirement may change our perspective towards many habits, hobbies, and experiences. But if we never post another thought again, we consider our Groovy Year 2016 to be one of the highlights of our marriage.
Happy New Year to all!
You have had a phenomenal year blogging – keep it going. I thoroughly enjoy reading your blog and what you have to offer.
Wish you both a very happy and prosperous 2017!
Thank you, Michael. I really appreciate your kind words. Hope all is groovy down in Texas. And hope you have a happy and prosperous 2017 as well. Cheers.
Congrats on a great 2016 and I expect it to continue moving forward. You two are worthy of the success you have had.
-Brian
You’re too kind, Brian. Hope you have an awesome 2017, my friend. Talk to you soon.
I love it! You guys have had quite a successful year. It’s fun to see celebrity bloggers (in our little world) comment on something we’ve written. It makes you feel like you’re on the right track. I’m sure you guys will keep on going up in the stats (as well as groovy-ness?). Happy New Year to you both!
Thank you, SS. Comments from celebrities or otherwise definitely make blogging worthwhile. Hope you have a tremendous 2017, my friend. Cheers.
Congratulations on all of your success and happy new year, Mr & Mrs. Groovy!
Thank you, Mr. FS. And may you have a happy and successful 2017 as well.
Congrats on the great success you’ve had so far and here’s to even more in 2017!
Same to you, my friend.
Great wrap up for the year! And congrats on such an outstanding year, both on the blogging and personal front (RETIREMENT!).
Happy New Year to both of you! 🙂
Thank you, Amanda. Your kind words really mean a lot. Have a great 2017. Looking forward to the amazing things you will accomplish.
Yay! 2016 was awesome. Looking forward to meeting you soon, Groovy friends! 😊
Likewise, Claudia. Less than two months away! Hope all is well in the Keystone state. Talk to you soon.
This sounds like a fantastic year for you. Looks like your blog is taking off. The traffic increase is nice, you say it’s nothing like mustache blog and I say mine is nothing like your blog. 50k unique people looking at a blog is nothing to scoff at, that’s quite the achievement, I hope to achieve that soon myself.
Agreed. We are very happy and humbled with our traffic increase in 2016. And we still can’t believe that anyone would take interest in our thoughts. I guess we have a severe case of impostor syndrome. Best of luck in 2017, BHL. I’m sure it will be a kick-ass year for you. Cheers.
Happy New Year to both of you and what a wonderful year it has been!
I’ve always enjoyed reading your articles, very insightful and humorous. Looking forward to more to come in 2017!
Thank you, T. Your kind words mean a lot. Hope you have a great 2017 as well. Cheers.
Happy New Year to you both. 🙂 Thanks for being great supporters of mine and congrats on retirement!! I can’t wait to see what 2017 has in store!!
Aw thanks, Miss. M. You know I love your work. It’s part of what keeps my moral compass in check. Best of luck in 2017. I’m sure it’s going to be another fantastic year for you.
Congrats on a pretty successful year! You’re very right with your last paragraph, it’s easy to start a blog but it’s certainly a lot more difficult to stick it out then people think. Especially with regular posting a few times a week! Great job!
Agreed. I’m always fearful of running out of ideas. But so far my twisted mind keeps spitting them out. Thanks for stopping by, Stephen. I really appreciate your kind words.
This has been one of my favorite 2016 recaps by far 🙂 I love your humor and that’s not just b/c Parks and Rec is one of my favorite shows ever 🙂
I hope 2017 treats you even better than 2016!!!
You’re making blush, MSM! Thank you for your very kind words. Here’s to a great 2017 for you as well.
Happy new year!!
Happy New Year to you too, Holly. Thanks for stopping by. I am as humbled as ever.
Oh, wow– I think I am a “unique visitor.” I consider that a compliment, being a unique one among your thousands.
Thank you for this enjoyable summary and for the enjoyable and thought-provoking ideas you have taken the risk to share this year. Glad it is paying off for all of us!
Thank you, Louisa. I really appreciate your kind words. Hope you have a wonderful 2017.
Groovy folks,
Congratulations again on reaching your big milestone this year.
I am typing this from the cold far north – well Quebec City. The sun is rising majestically over the St Lawrence and my head is failing to rise off the pilow to follow suit. I had to be fortified with fine wine last night to sustain the 15min walk back to the hotel from the restaurant. When I say fortified, I mean dunked in a barrel of it. You can see why my head is not moving so fast this morning and therefore my composition of a fine comment is being severely hindered.
Thankyou for calling out my ramblings to the world of Groovy followers. I am honored to be mentioned!!
I wish you both and your band of many followers a rocking 2017 and look forward to reading more good stuff. I promise to be more coherent and insightful with my ramblings…….:-)
WE LOVE YOUR RAMBLINGS! So please don’t stop. And please don’t stop your blog. I know it’s tough, especially with a family. But we will all be poorer without your keen insights, and your keen wit. Hope you have a wonderful year, regardless of which side of the pond you happen to be on. Cheers.
Congratulations on an awesome 2016!
You’re definitely not “imposters” and have a wonderful knack for keen insight spoken cleverly.
I look forward to more great stuff in ’17!
You made my weekend, Ian. Thank you very much for your kind words. Best of luck to you in 2017. I’m sure it will be a blast.
Congrats on a great year Groovys! I’ve loved reading your posts this year and am so appreciative for your support of my blog through commenting and on Twitter.
Wishing you both a very happy, funtastic, groovy 2017!
Likewise, my friend. Mrs. G and love your work. Hope you have a very “happy, funtastic, and groovy” 2017 as well.
Great, hilarious recap of a great year! Your readership success gives Mrs. G and I something to work towards in 2017.
Thanks, Mr. G. I really appreciate it. Hope your 2017 turns out to be smashing success. Cheers.
Happy New Year. You two are so fun to read! Congratulations on your growth!
Thank you, MM. I really appreciate your kind words. And I love your SEO insights. May your 2017 be as fruitful as your 2016. Cheers.
P.S. Are you a Cubs fan?
Fun recap of 2016. Here’s hoping that the fun…and success…continues in 2017. Happy new year Mr. and Mrs. G!
Thank you, Gary. May fun and success be a big part of your 2017 as well. Hope all is well in the Garden state. Talk to you soon, my friend.
Awesome wrap up of 2016! I can’t wait to read more in the New Year. Thanks for being great supporters of me too. You are both so groovy and wonderful – totally deserving of all the success. I’m thankful to have you as bloggy friends <3 <3 <3
Thanks, Harmony. Your kind words really mean a lot. And supporting you is easy. Mrs. G and I love the work your doing on your blog. So from one bloggy friend to another, I hope you, Mr. S, Goofball, Tornado, and Trey have a super groovy 2017. Cheers.
Happy new year groovy’s. Very cool to highlight comments from throughout the year. Here is to even more success in 2017.
Thank you, FTF. I really appreciate your kind words. Happy New Year, my friend. Cheers.
Always enjoy reading your posts. congrats on all your accomplishments. I wish you a wonderful and happy 2017!!
Thank you, Maarten. And the feeling is definitely likewise. Here’s to a prosperous and healthy 2017! And here’s to a great year of 3D printing!
I enjoyed this summary of your blogging year. That 12 year old is scary. I mean, he is 12! My accomplishments when I was 12 would fit on a grain of rice with plenty of room left over to inscribe Ulysses. Damn.
Happy New Year to both of you!
Haha! I hear ya, Mrs. B. I think the crowning achievement of my 12th year was perfecting the underarm fart! Happy New Year, my friend.
Thanks for the shoutout and congrats for a great year! At the end of the day, I’m just a fan of good blogging. It’s just so fun to read interesting stuff and interact w/ folks every day.
All the business stuff and all that is fun to work on too. But it’s the interaction I enjoy the most.
I can tell you’re having a lot of fun too.
HNY!
Sam
Thank you, Sam, for your very kind words. And you’re absolutely right about the interaction. I’ve been very fortunate. I fell in with a great group of bloggers. And it’s that community that keeps me going, that makes all the work of maintaining a blog worth it. Hope the fun continues for you in 2017, sir. Cheers.
Congrats on a solid year, Groovies!
I concur that Apathy Ends wins the hilarious comment of the year award. Well done, AE.
Agreed! Every time I read that comment I laugh out loud. Comic gold! Happy New Year, TJ. It’s always great hearing from you.
That sounds like an awesome blogging year! And I love Skyping with you both! You are even more entertaining and delightful on video than in print. =)
Are you gearing up for the next one? Or am I jumping the gun here? Mrs. G and I love Skyping with you and the wonderful bloggers you get to participate. Forty-five minutes never moved so wicked fast! Hope you and family have a fantastic 2017. Talk to you soon.
Congrats and Happy New Year!!!
I always look forward to your posts and love your unique insights.
You made my day, Julie. And the feeling is likewise. I love your blog, your implacable sense of adventure, and your super kind heart. Best of luck in 2017.
Yessssss! I made it! Humbled by the award!
Looks like you made a ton of progress on this year – keep it up and I will keep coming back!
Well deserved, my friend. Well deserved. Definitely the funniest comment of the year. And how could I possibly ignore a comment that christens me an “unerring internet genius!” Hope you and Mrs. AE have an awesome 2017. Cheers.
P.S. Have you done much ice fishing yet?
Was just out today – have a big trip up north Thursday-Sunday next week. Will let ya know how I do.
I was in Madison on business last year in March. I arrived late in the evening. And when I looked out my room window upon a nearby lake, I marveled at how smooth and tranquil the surface was. It wasn’t until the morning that I realized that “smooth and tranquil” lake was covered with ice. A bunch of guys were setting up their tents for ice fishing. It was the first time I ever saw that. Hope your ice-fishing goes well. It looks like a lot of fun.
Hehe you two are awesome. Thanks for the award and congrats on your success this year!
Thank you, Bobby. You’re a class act all the way. I really enjoyed being a small part of your blog this year. Best of luck in 2017, my friend. Cheers.
Hey hey hey! I got a shoutout in the 2nd sentence! Wow, what an honor!! Ahead of real legends in the PF blogging stratosphere! You made my day, my week, my year!
I’ve really enjoyed our chats this year, and hope you keep your Groovy Swank swankin’ well into retirement. You two are a hoot, and our world is a better place because of you! Congrats on a great year (wow, those numbers!!), proof that quality, mixed with time, lead to unexpected places!
I look forward to meeting you in ’17!
Aw, Fritz. You’re making me blush! In all seriousness, though, we feel the same way about you. After all, you helped me prepare for my RPF interview. And without that help, my performance would have been even more cringe worthy than it was. Hope the Georgia mountains treat you well this weekend, my friend. Happy New Year. Talk to you soon.
Awesome 2016 Mr. and Mrs. Groovy. You forgot to mention your appearance on Radical Personal Finance! That’s where I first learned about you guys and got hooked.
Haha! Mrs. Groovy said the same thing about RPF. And now I feel bad. He really was a great interviewer and I love his show as well. My only defense for ignoring Joshua is that we wanted to concentrate on our Twitter followers and our commenters. Is that lame? Probably. Definitely have to improve on some stuff in 2017. Thanks for stopping by, FP. Hope you have a glorious 2017.
What a tremendous year of blogging! You better not stop grooving now, I’ve really enjoyed following you and your journey…and as your blog stats show I’m not the only one! Congrats on the great year and cheers to just an equally great 2017!
You’re too kind, TGS! Thank you very much for your encouraging words. Here’s to 2017! I can’t wait to see what adventures await you. Cheers, my friend.
Happy New Year to the Groovy’s! What a fun recap. Here’s to a great 2017!
Thank you, Brian. Best of luck in 2017. I’m sure it will be kind to you and your family.
Happy New Year to both of you! That’s some outstanding growth this year, and I love that you went through all your comments!
Haha! You know you were close to getting an award for your Turning Japanese comment. But I decided it was best not to revisit a reference to “a one-person biological recreation activity.” I want to keep my PG-13 rating, don’t you know. Oh, well. Perhaps next year, Emily. Happy New Year. I hope you, Jon, and Little Bit have a wonderful 2017.
Happy New Year to the Groovy’s! Your blog is fun and your experiences and take on life are something special. Some of us “older” folks have things to share that the millennials haven’t experienced yet. I’m not sure how long I’ll do this either, but I’m glad to have given it a try. I have a lot more respect for those who do! Here’s to a prosperous and healthy 2017!
Thank you for your kind words, Vicki. Glad you’re sticking around for 2017. The financial blogosphere would shine a little less brighter without you. And may your 2017 be prosperous and healthy as well. Cheers.