Freedom Is Groovy

a picture of the number 2018 leaning against a wall

See You in 2018

—

by

Mr. Groovy
in ,

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Man, 2017 flew by.

And what a year it’s been. Mrs. G and I finally got to meet some of our blogging heroes—Claudia and Garrett from Two Cup House, JW and Lucy from The Green Swan, Fritz from The Retirement Manifesto, and Jillian from Montana Money Adventures. And I can say unequivocally that they’re all even nicer and more impressive in real life than they are on their blogs. Truly wonderful people.

Another highlight of the year was launching my YouTube channel, Talking Trash with Mr. Groovy. Not so much because I’m producing riveting video, but because it’s forcing me to face one of my biggest bugaboos: public speaking. I don’t know what it is, but I’ve always gotten exceedingly nervous when addressing an audience larger than one, and my Talking Trash videos are proving to be great therapy for that shortcoming.

And speaking about being nervous, I also made appearances on Staking Benjamins and Choose FI. If you missed either or both of these appearances, and you’re in the mood to hear an authentic Noo Yawk accent, here are the links.

Americans Are Dying in Debt
Domestic Geoarbitrage

Finally, 2017 has ended on a really nice note for me and Mrs. G. We found Groovy Ranch—three acres in the wilds of North Carolina. And if things go as planned, there’s a good chance we’ll be having the first ever Groovypaloosa next fall. I’ll keep you posted.

Plans for 2018

So what’s in store for 2018?

More of the same. My goal is to do one post a week, one Talking Trash a week, and one Remote Talking Trash a month. If any of you bloggers/readers are interested in cleaning up your neck of the woods while shooting the sh*t with me, drop me a note.

And other than going to FinCon, the only new thing planned for 2018 is my first ebook, The Groovy Guide to Financial Independence. Yep, because of Nicholas Kraken, a great accountability partner who blogs over at Step Into The Road, I finally got off my arse and penned my twisted take on financial independence.

There’s still a lot to do, of course, but I’m confident The Groovy Guide to Financial Independence will come out in April. In fact, I’m so confident, I’ve even commissioned the artwork for the ebook. Check out one of the sketches below.

Who’s the artist? I’m not saying. I will leave you with this, though. The artist isn’t a blogger. But the artist is associated with one of my favorite bloggers. Ah, the plot thickens.

a picture of Mr. Groovy revealing a "Death Before Dishonor" t-shirt

Final Thoughts

Finally, a big end-of-the-year thanks has to go out to Mr. and Mrs. WoW from Waffles On Wednesday. Not only are they technical wizards—they did prove the feasibility of Remote Talking Trash, after all—but they’re super nice and super gracious, and I can’t wait to meet them in person at FinCon 2018.

Okay, groovy freedomist, that’s all I got. Here’s the last installment of Talking Trash for 2017—another beach-combing barn-burner with the WoWs. Happy Hanukkah. Merry Christmas. And Happy New Year. See you in 2018.

Comments

63 responses to “See You in 2018”

  1. Sean @ FrugalMoneyMan Avatar
    Sean @ FrugalMoneyMan

    Congratulations on a successful/fun 2017! I am happy I found one of your posts through Rockstar Finance because I love your content. You have a great way of making personal finance fun and engaging.

    I am thinking about attending FinCon 2018, so hopefully I will get to meet you and many other bloggers I follow!

    I wish you continued success and a Happy New Year!

    Reply
  2. Mr. Saturday @ Seeking Saturdays Avatar
    Mr. Saturday @ Seeking Saturdays

    Happy New Year Mr. & Mrs. Groovy! It’s been a great year & we look forward to more fun from you guys. You were really rocking 2017! 😀

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thank you, Mr. S. And believe me, the feeling is mutual. Best wishes for a very fruitful 2018. Give my regards to Mrs. S. Happy New Year.

      Reply
  3. Ms. Frugal Asian Finance Avatar
    Ms. Frugal Asian Finance

    I’m so looking forward to your ebook, Mr. Groovy! Congrats on a successful year in 2017. More great news to come in 2018.

    Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to you and Mrs. Groovy!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thank you, FAF. I really appreciate your kind words. Best of luck in 2018. I can’t wait to see what life has in store for you. Cheers.

      Reply
  4. Mrs. Grumby Avatar
    Mrs. Grumby

    Congrats to you and Mrs. G. on an awesome 2017! And thank you for a year of impressive entertainment, motivation, inspiration, and education!

    Can’t wait for your e-book and look forward to learning more about the Groovypaloosa.

    Happy Holidays from Portlandia!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thank you, Mrs. G. And likewise to you. I suspect that 2018 will be even kinder to you and Mr. G than 2017 was. Happy New Year!

      Reply
  5. CashflowKat Avatar
    CashflowKat

    So, it’s a long story, but I used to follow this Canadian real estate investor named Julie Broad. She recently chucked her main real estate gig in Canada and moved to Los Angeles to start a non-fiction book publishing company (I only know because she still has my email address, ha). She sold a couple of paperback books on investing and branding on Amazon that did very well and so now she has created a business called Book Launchers. Anyway, my whole point is that if you have any interest at all in publishing a paperback, you might find it it interesting to talk to her. But regardless, writing an e-book is an awesome goal for 2018 and I look forward to checking it out!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thanks for the tip, CashflowKat. Mrs. G and I are checking out Julie Broad and Book Launchers now.

      Reply
    2. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Oh, shoot. Just went to Julie’s website and it hit me. I know her! I just started watching her YouTube videos a few days ago. I wasn’t paying attention to who she was, just the book advice she was giving. Great stuff. And what a freakin’ coincidence.

      Reply
      1. CashflowKat Avatar
        CashflowKat

        Too funny! And I’m glad you’ve checked her out. My thought is that she’s a hard-working woman with a great sales sense, and I think she’s super motivated to make Book Launchers a success. So, the timing might be good for you to get her full promotional attention. I think she would also understand your target audience and appreciate that you bring an existing following to your Groovy brand! Good luck however you proceed!

        Reply
        1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
          Mr. Groovy

          Thank you, CFK. I really appreciate that.

          Reply
  6. Cubert Avatar
    Cubert

    Cheers, mate! Looking forward to more of your fine writing in 2018 and beyond. If we ever meet in person, I’m sure you’ll be disappointed, as my blog is so fantastic, you’d probably envision Steve McQueen. Or maybe Em Philips? I dunno…
    Congrats on a fine year!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Haha! I love it, Cubert. You’ll be disappointed with me too. Years ago I wondered what actor would be best suited to play me if they ever made a movie about me life. I fancied that the most suitable actor would be Harrison Ford. But then a friend set me straight and told me that the most suitable actor would be Rick Moranis. That wasn’t good for the ego. Merry Christmas, my friend.

      Reply
  7. Dave Avatar
    Dave

    2017 was a good year. It is fun meeting other personal finance bloggers. I enjoyed your podcasts and will keep an eye out for your ebook. See you at FinCon 2018.

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      We got the best community in the world, Dave. Looking forward to meeting you at FinCon. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

      Reply
  8. Caroline Avatar
    Caroline

    Groovy Ranch? Can’t wait to read about it.
    Have a wonderful holiday 🙂

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thank you, Caroline. I ain’t going to lie to you, I’m nervous about building a house. The one saving grace about the aggravation to come is that I’ll have plenty of fodder for this blog. Haha. Hope 2018 treats you well. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

      Reply
  9. Ms99to1percent Avatar
    Ms99to1percent

    Happy holidays the Groovies!!!

    One request I have for 2018 is that I’m subscribed to your blog, but most of the time I get notified of new posts a day after they have posted 🙁

    If it’s not too much to ask, is there a way to notify the subscribers same day and early in the morning ? I would like to read your blog during my morning commute 🙂 .

    Thanks a bunch and see you in 2018!

    99to1percent recently posted…Giving Thanks and The 6 Gifts That Keep On Giving…
    https://99to1percent.com/gifts-keep-giving/

    Reply
    1. Mrs. Groovy Avatar
      Mrs. Groovy

      Hi Ms99to1percent,

      Happy holidays to you as well!

      Thanks for letting us know. I subscribe and noticed the day late thing myself. We had MailChimp set up to distribute at 9 am any day there’s a new post, but perhaps we publish too close to that time for it to work properly. Therefore I changed the distribution to 10 am. I received this last post the same day after making the change. Unfortunately, the later time doesn’t help for reading while commuting.

      Mr. Groovy often finishes a post late at night and I do final edits the next morning (and then the fun begins, when we argue about what needs to go). We don’t have a pipeline of posts but perhaps we can improve on that in 2018!

      Thanks very much for reading!

      Reply
      1. Ms99to1percent Avatar
        Ms99to1percent

        That explains it.

        LOL @ arguing about what needs to go. Can relate 🙂

        Reply
    2. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Happy holidays to you too, Ms99to1. Can’t wait to see what 2018 has in store for you. I’m sure it’s going to be a banner year. Cheers.

      Reply
  10. Brian Avatar
    Brian

    Wishing you both a very Merry Holidays and Happy New Year! Looking forward to a great 2018 and more talking trash!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thank you, Brian. You’re too kind. Hey, any chance I can get you on Remote Talking Trash after the winter? I’m sure there’s plenty of trash to pick up on Sunrise Highway. Haha. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the Debt Discipline family. Cheers.

      Reply
  11. Gary @ Super Saving Tips Avatar
    Gary @ Super Saving Tips

    A great 2017 which will surely lead to an even more amazing 2018. Happy holidays to your and Mrs. G!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thank you, Gary. That really means a lot coming from you. I love what you’re doing with your blog, and I love how you’re not afraid to tackle many of the pressing issues that bedevil everyday Americans (e.g., taxes, college affordability, healthcare, etc.). You got a formidable mind, my friend. I’m glad you’re using it for good. Happy holidays to you and your family. Cheers.

      Reply
  12. Mrs.Wow Avatar
    Mrs.Wow

    Sounds like a fantastic year Mr. G and some fun things to look forward to next year!! Congrats on all your accomplishments.

    Like you, I have never been a good public speaker and quite frankly it makes me super nervous. Guess I need to tackle my fears as well.

    Currently, I am anxiously awaiting Mr.Wow to get home from work so we can watch Part 2!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Hey, Mrs. WoW. I think you’ll really enjoy part two. I certainly did. My favorite part was the ending and Mr. WoW’s philosophy on saving. “The best time to start saving was 20 years ago. The second best time to start saving is now.” Brilliant. I’m so glad I got to meet you guys virtually. Can’t wait to meet you in person at FinCon. Thanks again for making RTT possible. Hope 2018 treats you well. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

      Reply
  13. Jillian Avatar
    Jillian

    2017 was a great year all around! I’m glad you finally made it to Montana! 🙂

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Montana was the highlight of our year. Great people, great countryside. Perhaps it will be our summer home in the near future. Got my fingers crossed. Can’t wait Montana Money Adventures has in store for us next year. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you, Adam, and the gang.

      Reply
  14. Accidental FIRE Avatar
    Accidental FIRE

    Man, that’s a lotta groovy irons you’ve got in the fire. Looks like you’re gonna be crushing it this upcoming year. Can’t wait to see it all come together!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Haha! Mrs. Groovy said the same thing about the irons. I don’t know what scares me more. My book or the house we’re about to build? I hope 2018 treats you well, my friend. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

      Reply
  15. Tonya@Budget and the Beach Avatar
    Tonya@Budget and the Beach

    Sounds like it’s been a great year! Always good to face your fears. That’s what my 2018 will be a lot about! See you on the flip side!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thank you, Tonya. I’m making headway on my speaking fears. Now if I can make some headway on my video editing skills, Talking Trash might become something. Do you have any suggestions for me? Looking forward to what BATB has in store for us in 2018. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

      Reply
  16. Josh Avatar
    Josh

    Merry Christmas to you too Groovy’s.
    Congrats on the land purchase (looks like a great lot) and enjoy the building process. It was a learning experience for me and I banked up a lot of sweat equity.

    I like your riddle for the artist as well. We used that saying at my school and I have a connection that lives in NC, but I don’t think I’m your favorite blogger–in this post at least 😉

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Hey, don’t sell yourself short. You are one of my favorite bloggers. You can actually tolerate my half-baked political musings. Haha! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, my friend.

      Reply
  17. Fritz @ TheRetirementManifesto Avatar
    Fritz @ TheRetirementManifesto

    Happy Holidays, Groovies! Looking forward to that Groovypaloosa in 2018 at “The Ranch”!! One question: do we all have to dress up as hippies? (Wouldn’t that trigger some intrigue from your new neighbors wondering what’s going on over at The Ranch!!)

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Hey, that’s not a bad idea. We had a sixties party around two decades ago and it was a blast. My good friend who had the party was a groovy shaman. He hired a band for the occasion and the band even played Shaman Blues by the Doors. If Groovypalooza has a sixties theme, I think you need to come as a groovy shaman. It will certainly be memorable. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, my friend. Talk to you soon.

      Reply
  18. Tom @ Dividends Diversify Avatar
    Tom @ Dividends Diversify

    Always good to have a plan Mr. Groovy. I wish you nothing but the best in achieving all your goals in 2018! Enjoy the holidays. Tom

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thank you, Tom. And the same to you. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

      Reply
  19. Kate Avatar
    Kate

    Great plans, and you’re not too far on the East Coast! Maybe one day I’ll head down that way to the Groovy Ranch! Talking trash sounds like fun, I’ll have to check out the channel 🙂 Happy New Year and Best Wishes to your Family!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      I love it, Kate. You’ll always be welcome at Groovy Ranch. And if you can’t make it to my neck of the woods this year, there’s always Remote Talking Trash. Hope you and your family have a great Christmas and an awesome New Year. Cheers.

      Reply
  20. Dave @ Married with Money Avatar
    Dave @ Married with Money

    Awesome plans for 2018! I’ll see you at FinCon 🙂 Have a safe and happy holiday with your family!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      To you as well, my friend. FinCon should be a blast. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

      Reply
  21. Miguel (The Rich Miser) Avatar
    Miguel (The Rich Miser)

    Hey Mr. Groovy,

    Exciting plans, love the sketch! It’s definitely intriguing, as is the book.

    Cool episode of Talking Trash; I can relate to the high-cost-of-living-but-love-it-here issue, being in Miami. I was actually in Tahoe and LA during the last few weeks (drove down CA); the sheer scale of LA was mind-blowing for me. It makes Miami look much smaller by comparison.

    Keep up the great work!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thank you, Miguel. And same to you. Can’t wait to see what The Rich Miser has in store for us in 2018. Hey, are you going to FinCon 2018? It’s practically in your back yard. Well, I hope you go, my friend. We need to ruin some microbrews together. Haha! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

      Reply
      1. Miguel (The Rich Miser) Avatar
        Miguel (The Rich Miser)

        Thanks, and a belated Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you as well!

        In the process of planning for FinCon, very hopeful on making it happen. Let’s definitely have those brews!

        Reply
  22. maarten Avatar
    maarten

    Thanks for all your support and great content this year. I hope 2018 will be a good one for you!!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      My pleasure, Maarten. Mrs. Groovy and I really admire your work. You’re going through a lot on the healthcare front, and Americans need to hear a non-sensationalized account of just how byzantine our healthcare system is. You’re a hero, my friend. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

      Reply
  23. Dads Dollars debts Avatar
    Dads Dollars debts

    Awesome man. What a year and I can’t believe 2018 is coming up already. Keep up the good work and the continued cleaning and writing books are no joke so kudos to getting that done.

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thank you, DDD. Your kind words really mean a lot. And I hear ya about 2018. Check out this line from Dan Aykryod on the Briefcase Full of Blues album.

      “Well here it is, the late nineteen seventies, going on 1985.”

      In 1978, I thought 1985 was an eternity away. Never mind 1999 (thank you, Prince) or being 10 days away from 2018. Man, I’m getting old. Love your work, my friend. And your stoicism. I’m sure 2018 will be much more kind to you on the home front than 2017. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

      Reply
  24. Nicholas Avatar
    Nicholas

    I’m happy that being accountable is going to help you get your story out into the world. I know messaging me the first time was a big scary step for you. Big scary steps seem to be your 2017 theme. Congrats on the YouTube Channel and the land I hope the seed you planted this year flourish in 2018!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Can’t say enough about you, my friend. If you weren’t such a great accountability partner, there’s no way I would have hammered out my book. Thanks again for all your help. And may you flourish in 2018 too. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Cheers.

      Reply
  25. Laurie Blank Avatar
    Laurie Blank

    I am SO excited to read your book – and that artwork rocks!!! Doubly excited that you guys found the Groovy Ranch land. Maybe this will be the push we need to visit NC in 2018. 🙂 Have a wonderful Christmas and New Year, my friends!!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Haha! I’m excited about the ebook too. But to tell you the truth, I’m even more excited about the ebook since I got the artwork. It’s much better than I ever could have imagined. I stumbled upon a really terrific artist. Thanks for stopping by, Laurie. And Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you too.

      P.S. It would be great if you made it to the Tar Heel State in 2018. I got my fingers crossed.

      Reply
  26. Amy @ LifeZemplified Avatar
    Amy @ LifeZemplified

    What a year indeed! Congrats on all the goodness Groovies! Looking forward to that ebook Mr. G. That artwork would look great on T-shirts too! A Groovy Enterprise perhaps?

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thank you, Amy. I really appreciate that. Oh, hey, were your ears ringing? Just heard Pete talking about you on the Do You Even Blog? podcast. And no, the idea of T-shirts didn’t cross my mind. But I am intrigued now. Love the way your mind works. Merry Christmas. Talk to you soon.

      Reply
  27. MrWow Avatar
    MrWow

    What a year!!!! Great to work with you guys and I’m excited for all the upcoming stuff.

    A book? You’re more ambitious than us.

    We are looking forward to all that comes from you guys… And mostly Orlando!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thank you, Mr. WoW. But don’t forget, my ebook is hardly a tomb. It’s only going to be 50-60 pages. War and Peace it’s not. Give my regards to Mrs. WoW. Can’t wait to see you guys in Orlando. Cheers.

      Reply
  28. Vicki@MakeSmarterDecisions Avatar
    Vicki@MakeSmarterDecisions

    You’ve had an awesome 2017, Groovy’s! It’s been fun watching your site grow. Love that you are writing an ebook too! Can’t wait to hear more about the growing of the new Groovy homestead! Here’s to a fabulous 2018!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Following your lead, Vicki. Following your lead. How’s the reno going? Haven’t seen an update in a while. I do suppose that Western New York winters complicate things, though. Haha! The only thing I didn’t like about my years in Buffalo. That lake-effect snow is rough. Thanks for stopping by, Vicki. You always bring a smile to my face.

      Reply
  29. Lily @ The Frugal Gene Avatar
    Lily @ The Frugal Gene

    Legitimately just laughed out loud at”death before dishonor.” My gosh it’s perfect!! I would buy that shirt, and anything it’s on. Cannot wait for the e-book!

    Reply
    1. Mr. Groovy Avatar
      Mr. Groovy

      Thank you, Lily. You have no idea how much your comment means to me. At least one person out there appreciates my twisted mind. Hope all is well in Frugalville. Give my regards to Jared. (And the old man, of course.)

      Reply

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