Danko and Stanley warn the reader against overspending. While some people are wealthy enough to both save and spend a lot, most people must choose between the two. The authors present overspending as the biggest and most common barrier to becoming wealthy. They confront the stereotype that most millionaires live lavish lifestyles, claiming that “most people who build wealth in America are hard-working, thrifty, and not at all glamorous” (29).This contradicts what most people think: that millionaires are the influencers who populate social media feeds, set against postcard-perfect and airbrushed backdrops. Instead, a millionaire is more likely to be the person who owns the plumbing business you call when your toilet's broken.

There's a difference between enjoying fine things and the appearance of wealth, and building real financial security. The authors explain, “If you make a good income each year and spend it all, you are not getting wealthier. You are just living high” (1). They give repeated warnings against unchecked consumerism and spending, driving home their lesson that to build wealth, you must change your spending habits.

Stanley and Danko present energy and time as resources which are as valuable as money. If you spend your time looking for the perfect brand-name jeans or car or phone, you are wasting energy you could be putting into making money or researching long-term investments. This is true even for high earners. The authors write, “Time, energy, and money are finite resources, even among high-income generators. Our research indicates that even these top earners cannot have their cake and eat it, too” (84). This encourages the reader to think about how they can best direct their time and energy to gain wealth, rather than spend it.

Stanley and Danko believe that many affluent people make the mistake of raising their children in environments of high consumption. This teaches them by example to spend rather than save, acclimatizing them to an upper-class lifestyle they may not be able to afford on their own. For example, if a child spends their summers going on expensive vacations, they make think that's the norm—and that's something is missing if they don't do that with their own families as adults. The authors argue that people must teach their children to expect challenges, spend frugally, and take pride in providing for themselves. They explain, “People often attempt to shelter their children from the economic realities of life. But such shelters often produce adults who are in constant fear of tomorrow” (170).