Product Description

The incredible national bestseller that is changing people's lives -- and increasing their net worth!

CAN YOU SPOT THE MILLIONAIRE NEXT DOOR?

Who are the rich in this country?

What do they do?

Where do they shop?

What do they drive?

How do they invest?

Where did their ancestors come from?

How did they get rich?

Can I ever become one of them?

Get the answers in The Millionaire Next Door, the never-before-told story about wealth in America. You'll be surprised at what you find out....

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #303 in Books
• Published on: 1998-10-01
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 272 pages

Amazon.com
How can you join the ranks of America's wealthy (defined as people whose net worth is over one million dollars)? It's easy, say doctors Stanley and Danko, who have spent the last 20 years interviewing members of this elite club: you just have to follow seven simple rules. The first rule is, always live well below your means. The last rule is, choose your occupation wisely. You'll have to buy the book to find out the other five. It's only fair. The authors' conclusions are commonsensical. But, as they point out, their prescription often flies in the face of what we think wealthy people should do. There are no pop stars or athletes in this book, but plenty of wall-board manufacturers--particularly ones who take cheap, infrequent vacations! Stanley and Danko mercilessly show how wealth takes sacrifice, discipline, and hard work, qualities that are positively discouraged by our high-consumption society. "You aren't what you drive," admonish the authors. Somewhere, Benjamin Franklin is smiling.

From Library Journal
In The Millionaire Next Door, read by Cotter Smith, Stanley (Marketing to the Affluent) and Danko (marketing, SUNY at Albany) summarize findings from their research into the key characteristics that explain how the elite club of millionaires have become "wealthy." Focusing on those with a net worth of at least $1 million, their surprising results reveal fundamental qualities of this group that are diametrically opposed to today's earn-and-consume culture, including living below their means, allocating funds efficiently in ways that build wealth, ignoring conspicuous consumption, being proficient in targeting marketing opportunities, and choosing the "right" occupation. It's evident that anyone can accumulate wealth, if they are disciplined enough, determined to persevere, and have the merest of luck. In The Millionaire Mind, an excellent follow-up to the highly successful first analysis of how ordinary folks can accumulate wealth, Stanley interviews many more participants in a much more comprehensive study of the characteristics of those in this economic situation. The author structures these deeper details into categories that include the key success factors that define this group, the relationship of education to their success, their approach to balancing risk, how they located themselves in their work, their choice of spouse, how they live their daily lives, and the significant differences in the truth about this group vs. the misplaced image of high spenders. Narrator Smith's solid, dead-on reading never fails to heighten the importance of these principles that most twentysomethings should be forced to listen to in toto. Highly recommended for all public libraries. Dale Farris, Groves, TX
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From AudioFile
[Editor's note: The following is a combined review with THE MILLIONAIRE MIND.] -- Just what does it take to become a millionaire in one generation? As anyone might figure, hard work and some luck play a big part. Inheritance, interestingly, does not. But there are many other factors, and Stanley and Danko spent years interviewing people with a net worth over $1 million to find them out. Stanley takes the research further in his follow-up program. Surprisingly, many people may possess at least some of these traits. The trick is that few people possess the right combination of traits or have the courage and self-discipline to use them effectively. Cotter Smith brings a relaxed but compelling style to these programs. The combination of the reading and the excellent abridgment makes for interesting and informative listening. Stellar audio production is a welcome bonus. T.F. © AudioFile 2001, Portland, Maine-- Copyright © AudioFile, Portland, Maine

Customer Reviews

First step to becoming a millionaire....
Is learning how millionaires think and act! This book does just that! Please read this book for true understanding of what it takes to get there, no sugar coating in this book and straight to the point. MUST HAVE!

Great data-driven information on the American wealthy
This book is one of the most highly read and rated personal finance books and aptly so. The data-driven research reveals who the real millionaires in America are and its not the flashy, sports car driving individuals you might think. Its a very insightful look ino the lives, habits and finances of America's wealthy, covering a wide range of topics from purchasing watches and cars to economic outpatient care and self-employed business owners.
Although the amount of data presented can become dry and redundant at times as other reviewers have stated (my main reason for 4 instead of 5 stars), the information is there for those who want to take a deeper dive into the numbers behind the summarized observations.
Overall, this book presents some great personal finance lessons and is highly recommended, along with the simple lessons to be learned in "The Richest Man in Babylon"

Not what you'd expect..
"Affluent" as defined by Websters dictionary, is "having a generously sufficient and typically increasing supply of material possessions", not really the millionaire next door that this book has studied. Upon reading the book further, I became disheartened. I want to be a millionaire, but do I want to be the millionaire described in this book? Do most millionaires really look like this? Several people I know came to mind that fit the description of the typical millionaire in their study. They are very very frugal and spend A LOT of time thinking about, managing, and planning their money and investments. These are usually not people who are the life of the party. Actually, they're usually not invited to parties. Not a lot of fun to be around. They are persistent accumulators of more and more wealth. They are not givers naturally. The book continues to use the term "affluent" over and over, but these people are not affluent, in lifestyle or generosity.