Millionaire Next Door Author dies in auto accident

[Tallgirl1204]

This book was a huge influence on me-- the first personal finance book I ever read.  RIP, and thank you, sir.

http://m.ajc.com/news/news/millionaire-blockbuster-author-dies-in-crash/nkLxS/

[Taran Wanderer]

Very sad to hear this, and because someone else was reckless and in a hurry. 

His book was an early source of inspiration and still sits on my bookshelf.  Thank you for sharing. 

My condolences to his family.  May he rest in peace.

[iris lily]

Thanks for posting, I had not heard this.

His is my favorite financial book. I've got Stop Acting Rich! here right now from the library.

[slugline]

He wrote one of the best contributions to personal finance literature I have ever read.

How bitter it is to read that his life was ended by the driver of a luxury SUV. . . .

[trailrated]

RIP to Thomas Stanley, he did some great work that I am thankful for reading. Reading the Millionaire Next Door is actually what got the ball rolling and lead me to MMM.

http://www.ajc.com/news/news/millionaire-blockbuster-author-dies-in-crash/nkLxS/

[FI40]

That's awful news. I really enjoyed that book, he did an amazing job with it.

[MooseOutFront]

That's a real loss.  He changed a lot of people's lives for the better.  I just started reading his selling to the affluent book this week.

[Gone Fishing]

Sad to hear.  I've never read it, but I'm sure his book influenced a lot of people for the better. 

[Mississippi Mudstache]

Also the first personal finance book that I read. Definitely an influence in getting me where I am today. RIP, Thomas Stanley.

[DragonSlayer]

That's just so sad. I loved his books and they were a big influence on my life.

[James]

Wow, sad story, good man, thanks for letting us know.

[devan 11]

His book "the Millionaire Next Door" was pivotal to changing my life.  I am grateful to be one of the many that his work influenced.  Thank you Mr. Stanley.

[sol]

Why sanitize it by calling it an "auto accident"?

Thomas Stanley, author of The Millionaire Next Door, was killed Saturday by Jeffrey Fettig.  Fettig was violating several traffic laws simultaneously with his Acura MDX when he used it to crush Stanley, who was making a left turn.

[Kaspian]

That's too bad!  It's the book I'm currently reading.  It was recommended by a few people here in the MMM forums but my library didn't have it.  People said, "That's crazy!  Surely your library would have it!!"  Well, turns out they did but it had been temporarily classified as "lost" and taken our of the catalogue.  I'm enjoying it so far.  And the bonus for nighttime reading is whenever he does one of those lengthy paragraphs with many stats and percentages, I get drowsy.  :)

[trailrated]

Why sanitize it by calling it an "auto accident"?

Thomas Stanley, author of The Millionaire Next Door, was killed Saturday by Jeffrey Fettig.  Fettig was violating several traffic laws simultaneously with his Acura MDX when he used it to crush Stanley, who was making a left turn.

I didn't think it would fit in the subject line and thought it might take away from celebrating his life and accomplishments rather than turning into a "don't drive like a dipshit" thread. But your version is much more accurate.

[Sid Hoffman]

Why sanitize it by calling it an "auto accident"?

The driver that killed him hasn't been charged yet, although the article implies that is coming soon.  I feel it's a lot more accurate when they are called car crashes, or auto wrecks, as so many of them aren't accidents, they are negligence, such as suggested by this one:

He also loved cars. As a young man, he worked summers at a Chevrolet dealership while in school. In 2012, he bought his own Corvette. He was driving it Saturday afternoon when he slowed down on Paper Mill Road prior to turning left toward Atlanta Country Club Drive. According to Cobb police, an Acura MDX traveling behind him cut around him to the left, into the opposing traffic lane. As Stanley turned left, police said, the Acura, driven by Jeffrey Fettig of Marietta, slammed into Stanley’s left side. Charges will likely be filed, police said. Attempts to reach Fettig on Sunday were unsuccessful.

The Millionaire Next Door was one of the first books I ever heard about when I was young, along with Rich Dad, Poor Dad.  I never did read either book, but I read plenty of internet news and articles that would cite wisdom from those books that I was too cheap to buy and too lazy to borrow from the library.  In retrospect I wish I'd actually done more work managing my own finances and books like this would have been at the top of my list.  At least he did a lot of good during the time he had here on Earth.  So many people die having never actually made the world a better place.

[GuitarStv]

Damn.  Not bicycling kills another.

[2527]

His book was in a class of its own.  It opened a whole new way of thinking.  Also, I found it very validating.

[Davids]

His book was a big inspiration for me.

[LiveLean]

Damn.  Not bicycling kills another.

I refuse to bike where I live because it's the most dangerous county in Florida for cyclists. Then again, I was in a similar car accident in August while driving when an idiot did her best to kill me. Thankfully she "only" hit my right side and left me with neck issues I'll deal with the rest of my life.

Why can't people slow down and stop handling smart phones while driving?

I recently re-read Millionaire Next Door.

[RootofGood]

Wow, I'm a little shaken.  I hope he enjoyed himself and didn't save it for old age! 

I'm slightly irrationally afraid of dying in an auto accident (or maybe just fully aware of that unlikely but potential outcome every time I drive).  Early retirement is a great way to skip a lot of driving. 

 

[arebelspy]

To Mr. Stanley, who changed many people's financial lives for the better.

[BBub]

Hear, hear.

I read his book at a very young age - probably 11 or 12.  My dad recommended it.  What a great one.

It would be another 15 years or so until I embraced mustachianism, but that book enabled me to understand that FI is attainable for almost anyone.  Such a gift.

[GuitarStv]

Damn.  Not bicycling kills another.

I refuse to bike where I live because it's the most dangerous county in Florida for cyclists. Then again, I was in a similar car accident in August while driving when an idiot did her best to kill me. Thankfully she "only" hit my right side and left me with neck issues I'll deal with the rest of my life.

Why can't people slow down and stop handling smart phones while driving?

I recently re-read Millionaire Next Door.

I didn't mean Stanley.  There is an expectation in North America that we should go out of our way to allow idiots to drive.  I think that traffic laws should be a harsher, and many offenses should carry driving bans.  The kind of reckless driving that leads to death isn't an isolated incident . . . it's usually a long standing pattern.  I suspect Fettig wouldn't have killed anyone were he on a bike.

[dunhamjr]

a sad, tragic end... but seems like he lived a long, good life.

i have read this book a couple of times.  good basic info to get you thinking the right way, if you don't know where/how to start.

[RetiredAt63]

What is with these idiots passing when someone is about to turn left?  I had a friend in an identical accident - she was extremely fortunate to escape with only minor injuries.  The driver crossed a solid double line to pass, which is totally illegal.

So sorry to hear about Stanley.

[Mr.Chipper77]

RIP..Loved his books!

[anon-e-mouse]

The Millionaire Next Door was the first book I ever read regarding money and is sadly the first book that I've ready in many years.
RIP - and thanks for enlightening us.

[SingleMomDebt]

So unfortunate to hear. His books - Millionaire Next Door, Millionaire Women Next Door and Stop Acting Rich - are always great reads and help me strive to become financially better. The books have always been front runners on my book shelf. Blessed be, Mr. Stanley. Blessed be.

[TheGrimSqueaker]

I've read thousands of books, but The Millionaire Next Door was one of the few that I can honestly say changed my life.  RIP Mr. Stanley.

[MrsCoolCat]

I refuse to bike where I live because it's the most dangerous county in Florida for cyclists. Then again, I was in a similar car accident in August while driving when an idiot did her best to kill me. Thankfully she "only" hit my right side and left me with neck issues I'll deal with the rest of my life.

Why can't people slow down and stop handling smart phones while driving?

I recently re-read Millionaire Next Door.

Miami-Dade? If so, then yes, I HATE driving, it's dangerous, long, stressful and I'd rather not do it but I also would not bike or walk. Damn notorious for idiot drivers here...

[EscapeVelocity2020]

Damn.  Not bicycling kills another.

I think this is the wrong place for comments like this.  We should be paying respects, not trying to turn this into anyone's agenda.

I personally benefited greatly from Stanley's writing.  I'm excited to hear that an updated book is in the works...

[dragoncar]

Another reason to live frugally and retire early.  You never know when "one more year" will turn in to "no more years."

[guitar_stitch]

I refuse to bike where I live because it's the most dangerous county in Florida for cyclists. Then again, I was in a similar car accident in August while driving when an idiot did her best to kill me. Thankfully she "only" hit my right side and left me with neck issues I'll deal with the rest of my life.

Why can't people slow down and stop handling smart phones while driving?

Based on the news report, this had nothing to do with cell phone use or lack of attention.  Fettig tried to perform an illegal passing maneuver because he didn't want to wait for Stanley to complete his left turn.

It's possible that a lack of signal comes in to play, but the pass was definitely illegal.

[Lizzy B.]

This is very sad news, thanks for sharing.

When we got engaged, my husband and I gave each other our favorite personal finance book to help share our financial philosophies. I recommended the "total Money Makeover" by Dave Ramsey, but my husband suggested "the millionaire next door" to me.  I could barely put it down the first time I read it, and it helped set us up for our marriage which has ( so far, fingers crossed) been blessed with easy communication and decision-making about money.

I hope his daughter continues his work; it would be great to see the updated statistics.

RIP, thanks from one woman whose life you touched.

[libertarian4321]

This is too bad, I loved the "Millionaire Next Door" and his subsequent books, though not as good, were okay, too.