The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America's Wealthy

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Summary: A good guide on tips of how to save and manage
Review: I didn't like the book at all. I thought it was a book that tells you HOW to make some money. All it did was tell me ABOUT people who were wealthy. No tips on how to become wealthy. I want something that I could use in real life. I found it boring and a waste of time.

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Summary: Statistical, but well worth it.
Review: Those that complain about this book just don't get it. It details the fascinating habits of the wealthy, authored by two PhD's who have studied them as a group for years. It is certainly surprising to find how low the average salary of a millionaire is, or the fact that 80% of millionaires are 1st generation rich, or how much on avg. they spend on clothes, watches, and cars. It also explains some successful ways these wealthy individuals have passed on their estates, the results of passing wealth on early, how they treat wealth & money within the family, and why, as a result of their own success, they cause their children to have less of a chance of becoming wealthy. Hardly a re-hash or a no-brainer. This book will make you think about your own habits and long-term goals. It even predicts what careers might produce high incomes by servicing the growing wealthy community. Two big thumbs up.

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Summary: True and boring
Review: A good book that could have included the concepts in about 3 pages. Put me asleep on an overseas flight.

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Summary: Our children should be required to read this book.
Review: What a great book for children to learn at a young age. The wisdom and frugalness of millonares. Its not for the hyperconsumer, its for those who want to learn you can survive on less.

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Summary: Basic common sense knowledge
Review: This book could have been written in 25 pages or less. It was the same thing over and over and over and over... Anybody who reads this and realizes for the first time that if they buy a two year old Ford truck over a brand new Range Rover they will have money left to invest needs a lot more help than any book could provide. This is the same basic information my parents have been trying to instill in me for the last 24 years. I'll sell you my copy for $7.50. (See, you're already on your way!)

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Summary: It's very repetitive and preachy.
Review: Mostly, I enjoyed this book. It really is about how people achieive financial freedom. I grew tired as I read this book. The authors kept hammering away at the same themes over and over again. They could have written a much shorter book and still conveyed the same information. I also grew tired of their "preachiness." They clearly believe that saving every dollar is good and that leading a comsumption oriented lifestyle is bad. While I happen to be in the "save every dollar" camp myself, I don't think that the other lifestyle is inherently bad. If someone derives pleasure from working all his/her life so that he/she can acquire huge piles of status objects (or take great/lavish vacations), I really don't mind. I only object when these people mess up and can't pay for their extravagances. On the other hand, I thought that some of the "millionaires" were a little obsessive. Imagine being a millionaire and spending your time clipping coupons every night. While you might save a dollar or two, wouldn't your time be better spent evaluating where you can best grow your nest egg?

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Summary: or, "How to live like a scrooge"
Review: The basic idea behind this book seems to be that life is a competition, and whoever dies with the most money wins. It chronicles the lives of several money obsessed spendthrifts and praises them for spending thier lives living like Mcdonald's employees, alll so they can enjoy the novelty of being millionaires Belive it or not,it IS possible to save for retirment and get the kids through college without sacrificing any and all luxery or enjoyment. . In a socity where a person's worth is measured in dollars, it's not surprising so many fools are in love with this book. Well, you can go on worrying yourselves to death over money and denying yourselves everything, and I'll go on enjoying me life. You only get one, you know, and a dead millionaire is just as stiff as a dead pauper.

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Summary: This book will teach you to be rich !
Review: This is a great book about how to acquire wealth. It is an excellent book about millionaires and how they acquire wealth, and also redefines for most people who a wealthy person is. It shows you that with a little commonsense and willpower everyone could become a millionaire. I recommend this book to everyone, especially the spend-thrift and the show-off.

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Summary: A PAW speaks back
Review: Being a PAW just came naturally to me. But after one has accumulated all this wealth and of course, doesn't give it to his children in the form of EOC, one will eventually pass on leaving a great amount of it to Uncle Sam and the rest to his children. But they might have benefited from a little of it when they were struggling to pay for homes, orthodontists, tuitions, and piano lessons. I'm giving some of my wealth to my children now, call it EOC if you want, but I am so happy that I can help them and happy that I can do it when they need it. Of course, being a PAW, I am very conservative in what I give.

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Summary: Well now, this "secret" is finally exposed!
Review: Most of those who give this book a low rating are obviously missing it's basic point. It's called Financial Freedom. For many of us, this is the eventual freedom via an early retirement from the hassles and "pains" of being employed by a large corporation, for example. Even a blue-collar and a non-managerial white-collar employee can eventually become a millionaire, and quite possibly -- a multi-millionaire!