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The millionaire next door doesn’t necessarily make headlines. They have probably built their fortune in a mundane and boring way and live an equally understated lifestyle.
These are the ‘stealthy wealthy’ and their habits hold powerful lessons for anyone who’s serious about achieving financial freedom.
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Here are seven habits you could replicate to boost your financial position or peace of mind.
1. Avoiding status symbols
The stealthy wealthy’s cardinal rule is to conceal their fortune (or at least not flaunt it) so that they can enjoy it in complete privacy. That means no flashy toys or glamorous status symbols that call their wealth to attention. A quietly rich person isn’t likely to buy a Gucci belt or Birkin handbag. As far back as 2024, The Wall Street Journal noted that consumers are questioning the prices of luxury brands (1).
That said, the stealthy wealthy may be interested in investment opportunities that have historically only been available to the ultra-wealthy, such as fine art. But that asset class is no longer limited to the elites.
Masterworks has given over one million users the opportunity to invest in pieces from artists including Banksy, Basquiat and Picasso. Masterworks takes care of all of the heavy lifting, from finding and acquiring to storage and sale. All you have to do is pick which pieces you want to invest in via fractional shares, and reap the returns when the piece sells.
From their 23 exits so far, Masterworks investors have realized representative annualized net returns like +17.6%, +17.8% and +21.5% among assets held for longer than one year. To see if you qualify, you can find out more about investing with Masterworks here.
See important Regulation A disclosures at Masterworks.com/cd.
2. Driving modest cars
Contrary to the stereotype, millionaires and multimillionaires aren’t always driving Aston Martins or Bugattis. In fact, Dave Ramsey’s survey of millionaires across America found that the top three most popular brands were Toyota, Honda and Ford.
Picking a practical and relatively inexpensive car is perhaps a better way to retain your fortune rather than burning it all through the tailpipe of a McLaren F1 sports car.
Another way to keep car expenses affordable is to shop around for the best car insurance rate available. Doing your due diligence and comparing rates can drive down your monthly costs and free up that extra cash for investing.
By using a comparison platform like Insurify, you can instantly view quotes from top-rated providers to ensure you aren't paying a hidden ‘loyalty tax’ to your current insurer.
Just answer a few basic questions, and Insurify will show you the most affordable deals in as little as 3 minutes.
Not only is the process 100% free, but you could also save up to 15% by bundling your car and home insurance.
Finally, keep in mind that you can usually change your insurance policy before the renewal date. Just keep an eye out for any early cancellation fees.
3. Maximizing tax efficiency
Tax-efficient decision making is how most wealthy people retain and expand their fortune. Although your tax situation might be very different from someone who has a seven- or eight-figure net worth, that doesn’t mean you can afford to neglect tax planning.
Take a page out of the stealthy wealthy playbook and consider hiring an accountant or tax planner to help minimize your liabilities.
Advisor.com is a free service that helps you find a financial advisor near you. They can help co-create a plan to reach your financial goals, based on your tax circumstances and investment goals.
From their database of thousands, you get matched with a pre-screened financial advisor. You can then set up a free, no-obligation consultation to make sure they’re the right fit for you.
4. Tracking and directing every dollar
A 2025 survey by Northwestern Mutual found that an impressive 76% of wealthy individuals considered themselves disciplined financial planners, while only 49% of the general public felt the same (2).
Keeping and sticking with a budget, and updating it frequently, is a key way to keep you progressing on your financial journey.
You can make starting down that road easier with automated investment platforms like Acorns, which helps you save while you spend.
Every time you make a purchase on your credit or debit card, Acorns automatically rounds it up to the nearest dollar, then puts your spare change into a smart investment portfolio for you.
The best part? When you sign up with a recurring deposit, Acorns provides a $20 bonus investment to kickstart your investment journey.
5. Focusing on privacy
Another hallmark of the stealthy wealthy is their deep respect for privacy.
By keeping your finances discreet, you not only protect yourself from fraud and financial crimes, but also improve your chances of securing better deals and avoiding tension in personal relationships where you’re assumed to be covering the bill every time, just because “you can afford it.”
Remember the old adage: Money talks, but wealth whispers.
6. Avoiding the hype cycle
According to the WSJ, the stealthy wealthy are most likely to make their fortunes in relatively overlooked niches of the economy. Think cup-holder manufacturers, commercial carpet cleaning or industrial appliance maintenance companies.
Put simply, most successful entrepreneurs and investors are not chasing the latest hype cycle. Instead, they focus on lucrative, always-on industries with sparse competition.
If you’re trying to build wealth but aren’t interested in starting your own business, then why not invest in those businesses from the sidelines instead?
Platforms like Robinhood are designed to make investing simpler and more approachable.
If you prefer a more hands-on approach, you can also buy and sell individual stocks, fractional shares and options (for qualified traders) — backed by 24/7 support. Stocks, ETFs and their options trades are commission-free.
With access to popular ETFs like the Vanguard S&P 500, you can build diversified exposure without needing to pick individual stocks.
The platform also offers both a traditional IRA and a Roth IRA, so you can choose the tax strategy that fits your retirement plan.
With its recurring investment feature, you can set up automatic investments of your preferred fractional shares, stocks and ETFs on your own schedule.
Over time, this helps make investing a habit and steadily grows your portfolio.7. Multiple streams of cash flow
A single source of income, perhaps from your full-time job, is unfortunately rarely sufficient to build wealth these days. To reach the top, you will likely need a diversified pool of multiple income sources.
Consider a side gig to boost your income, and invest in passive income opportunities such as real estate to reach your financial goals faster.
Arrived makes it easy to fit rental properties into your investment portfolio regardless of your income.
Arrived’s easy-to-use platform is backed by world-class investors like Jeff Bezos, and offers SEC-qualified investments such as rental homes and vacation rentals.
Its flexible investment amounts and simplified process allows accredited and non-accredited investors to take advantage of this inflation-hedging asset class. Simply start by browsing a curated selection of homes, vetted for their appreciation and income potential. Once you find a property you like, choose the number of shares you want to buy.
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Article Sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our ethics and guidelines.
The Wall Street Journal (1); Northwestern Mutual (2)
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
