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The Millionaire Next Door has some priceless ideas and facts behind it’s message to the reader. The authors spent two decades studying the habits and patterns of America’s millionaires.
The logic is that if we can understand how the wealthy people get wealthy - and how they stay that way - then we can do it for ourselves.
This premise is 100%, absolutely true - anyone who works hard and sticks to a well-defined plan, can become wealthy - and the authors have the statistics to prove it.
A lot of Stanley and Danko’s findings are surprising to many people. You might expect that most millionaires got that way through winning the lottery, getting ‘lucky’, inheriting family money, or by being celebrities or athletes.
However, you will be surprised to learn that those cases are comparatively rare. Most millionaires worked hard and saved for their money.
Stanley and Danko's book, The Millionaire Next Door, also reports that most of these wealthy people don’t live like stereotypical ‘rich people’.
Rather, they tend to live below their means, they invest their money wisely, and they don’t follow the trend of consumerism that plagues so much of middle-class America.
In other words, despite having more money than their friends and neighbors, they don’t waste it on frivolous things like most other people tend to do.
This one point alone explains why they have so much more money than others within their social circle.
This is all very encouraging to the average American, because it reaffirms what we all want to believe: that with perseverance, hard work, and determination, ANYONE can become financially wealthy. The research finding presented in The Millionaire Next Door says convincingly that this is absolutely true.
The authors and their interview subjects recommend living frugally. No matter how rich you are, you can always outspend yourself. So get in the habit of spending less than you make, regardless of how much that is.
When you get a raise at work, continue to live on the previous amount and put the “raise” amount into savings.
Avoid the trappings of conspicuous consumerisms: frequent purchases of new cars, expensive clothes and jewelry, and so forth. Those things lead to debt, and they don’t appreciate in value.
Money can buy you a Porsche, but a Porsche can’t buy you anything.
A lot of what’s contained in The Millionaire Next Door will sound like common sense. Spend less than you make. Stay out of debt. Invest wisely. These are all basic ideas.
In addition, the authors go into great detail and provide real-life testimonials of how to make your finances work for you.
Furthermore, even if you’ve heard it before, hearing it again can be a powerful motivator.
This book is highly recommended!
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