Best practices for building/retaining your wealth...

Some good tips here from money.com regarding best practices for building/retaining your wealth.

1. The best home renovation is to upgrade an old bathroom. Kitchens come in second.
2. Refinance your mortgage when you can cut your interest rate by at least one point.
3. Spend no more than 2 1/2 times your income on a home.
4. For a down payment, it's best to come up with at least 20%.
5. Your total housing payments should not exceed 28% of your gross income.
6. Total debt payments should come in under 36%.
7. The best place to invest is a 401(k).
8. Max out a Roth IRA.
9. Subtract your age from 120 to determine how much of portfolio should be in stock.
10. Invest no more than 10% of your portfolio in your company stock.
11. Don't pay more than 1% in fees for a mutual fund.
12. If you don't understand how an investment works, don't buy it.
13. If you're not saving 10% of your salary, you aren't saving enough.
14. Keep three months living expenses a savings account for emergencies.
15. If you have kids or rely on one income, make it six months emergency fund.
16. Aim to accumulate enough money to pay for a third of your kids' college costs.
17. You need enough life insurance to replace at least five years of your salary.
18. With children, you need life insurance to replace 10 years salary.
19. When you buy insurance, choose the highest deductible you can afford.
20. The best credit card is a no-fee rewards card that you pay in full every month.
21. The best way to improve your credit score is to pay bills on time.
22. Do not borrow more than 30% of your available credit.
23. Buy late-model used cars and drive them until it's junk.
24. Resist the urge to buy the latest computer or other gadget.
25. Buy airline tickets early. Most seats go on sale 11 months in advance.
26. When you shop for electronics, don't pay for an extended warranty.