Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with budget and NYC

Help me plan a kitchen renovation in Brooklyn.

(Over) Thinking — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 04:41:14 -0800

I just bought a 1 bedroom co-op in Brooklyn. I want to gut the kitchen. I have 30k. Is this possible? Can you recommend an architect? Share your story? The kitchen is in terrible shape, and the only thing worth saving is the stove. I definitely need all new everything. I know what I want, but I don't know if it's plausible with my budget. I know how to research material costs, but I have no idea what to expect to spend on labor, permits, the architect's fee, etc. It is not possible for me to DIY anything, so I can't use that as a cost-saving measure.

I also don't know how long anything should take. I close in June, and I'd like to do everything before I move in. Is it realistic to think construction could start in June if I haven't even hired an architect yet?

Have you renovated an apartment in NYC? Could you share what you did, how much it cost, and how long it took?

Can you recommend an architect? I need someone who can work within a budget and is a good designer. I have lots of ideas, but I need someone can translate them into a real space.

Any advice is welcome.

And then there's always Supercuts

NolanRyanHatesMatches — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 06:55:31 -0800

LonghairFilter: Man with shoulder-length hair ISO $0-$20 trim in NYC. I have shoulder-length hair and would like to keep the length more or less, but, after 1+ years of no touching-up, it's just a big giant mess up there and I'd love to get a nice trim.

Years ago I went the Bumble & Bumble Free Cut route but would rather avoid that this time around (long wait + not-so-great cut). I've been searching Craigslist/beauty for free cuts, SalonApprentice.com (which has a ton of options but none that really fit me), a few other places, but I'm not coming up w/ anything solid. The few hits I've found about cutting men's long hair usually come with the addendum that the model have his hair cut down to a short length.

All I'm really looking for is a place where I can sit down in the chair and say, "Hey, I have this long mess and I'd like to keep the long and get rid of the mess." And I'd rather not pay more than $20 for this. I know that I can probably walk right into Supercuts and get this done, but being NYC, going to Supercuts feels a bit like passing up a slice at Joe's of the Village and heading straight for the nearest Domino's.

Sooner is better than later, and I don't mind making an appointment, provided that I can get the haircut within the next week or two.

Thx in advance!

NYC Christmas dinner miracle

kaybdc — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 16:12:49 -0800

Bugdet Christmas meal NYC filter - Any recommendations for NYC restaurants serving a traditional Christmas meal (turkey, mashed potatoes, veg, etc) that won't break the bank? So I'm meeting my friend in NYC for Christmas. We have the hotel and had plans--or so we thought--to have a nice traditional Christmas meal with her cousins. Long story short, she just found out that they've made other plans that don't include us.

I'd be happy with Chinese food and a movie, but know that she has her heart set on a traditional Christmas roast turkey dinner. We weren't counting on this expense and have already spent money on the hotel, travel, etc. so we'd like to keep it under $100, although we could probably swing $150 (total, not each). Worst case scenario I'm thinking that French Roast should be open and she could get the herb roast chicken, but I'm hoping to find something a little more special. I think she's really hurt about her cousins blowing her off and I'd like to save Christmas for her.

I don't want to look too much like The Mom, you know?

The Whelk — Sat, 27 Nov 2010 21:23:41 -0800

Let's assume you are a 50-ish Lady who's wardrobe has diminished lately. What you you wear to a nice summer outdoor wedding when you don't own a lot of formal stuff and want to sharpen up your wardrobe from office-drab anyway? Where can you find these things? What places should you look? Whom should you listen to for advice? In short, what do stylish Over-50 Ladies wear to their various traditional and non family events on a budget? Ideally in New York?

Where can I get my hair cut cheaply, yet stylishly, in NYC?

cmgonzalez — Sat, 01 May 2010 16:43:12 -0800

I am in NYC and would like to get my hair cut. I do not want to pay the GDP of a small country for it. Where can I, a woman with long hair, find a good stylist who listens, knows how to adapt a style to fit a face, and above all, isn't expensive? I want some layering and a few inches off the ends. I'm looking to pay around say, $40-50 (with tip) or less. My last cut was $25 with tip, for comparison.

I'm very particular about my hair, so I don't want to trust it to just anyone. Last time, I went to a salon where I think the language barrier was too steep and the guy didn't seem to understand what I wanted, even with the pictures I brought.

Dramatics NYC, which I found via an old question here, has terrible reviews across the board. Other places seem iffy, and you'll pay more for an appointment vs a walk-in, or extra fees for long hair (it's not like I'm asking them to give me a pixie cut!). I considered Astor Place, but it seems they speed through it and it makes me think twice.

Neighborhood places in Brooklyn have no reviews or several that could be their best friends for all the praise there is. I have signed up with a few hair model programs, but they haven't responded, and when they have, seem to only want to do bobs. I can always go back to the Aveda Institute, where I had a nice if basic cut I was happy with in '07, but it's a long wait.

Manhattan/Brooklyn/or central Queens, please. Feel free to suggest higher cost places if they are absolutely worth it. $40-50 is just my particular ideal. It just seems like highway robbery to pay more than $30 for a simple haircut.

Where can a teacher take a group of 13 to eat in NYC?

tastybrains — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 13:31:08 -0800

Where are some good, fun, and affordable places to take a group of preteens to eat in NYC? Asking this for a friend, who is a teacher, and taking a small group of students (total group is 10 kids, 3 adults) on a trip to NYC. The kids are aged 12-14, and they have a total meal budget (for lunches and dinners) of $1000 for the group. On the first day, they will be in the Times Square area for both lunch and dinner, and will be in Chinatown for lunch the following day.

If you have any specific suggestions that would work well for this type of group, especially ones that would help stay as far under the food budget as possible, she and her kids would really appreciate it!

thanksgiving minus turkey plus nyc

mustcatchmooseandsquirrel — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:01:40 -0800

Will be in NYC for Thanksgiving: Will things be open? Anything cool going on? My mother and I are not too into the rituals of Thanksgiving. This year we're ditching the family dinners and, instead, meeting in New York City to take advantage of the city, our vacation time, and seeing each other (it's been about 6 months since we last hung out). We'll be there from Wednesday-Saturday.

We have specific thing on our agenda (eating at Momofuku, shopping at Desigual, going to MoMA for free on Friday, experiencing culture shock at Brighton Beach, going to bars with photobooths), but I'm wondering if most places will be open on Thanksgiving Day and/or if there is anything particularly fun happening then.

I'm pretty sure that neither of us is interested in watching the Thanksgiving parade (again, not too into Thanksgiving as a holiday), and this is her first time to NYC. We like art, walking around, food and wine, theatre, and various other funky things (Mom is hipper than I am...). But, neither of us wants to spend too much money, especially since we know that a fun time can be had in NYC without breaking the bank.

In NYC, where can I get a violin CHEAPLY looked over and serviced?

allterrainbrain — Wed, 13 Jun 2007 15:00:33 -0800

In NYC, where can I get a violin CHEAPLY looked over and serviced? Anywhere in the five boroughs. Not looking for the "best" shop -- I can't afford it. Probably looking for the friendly repairperson with the little basement office in your outer-borough neighborhood.

This is a student-quality violin I just got (used / very cheap). It seems fine structurally and it sounds surprisingly good, but its tuning pegs need attention because they're all either sticking or slipping, and I bet it needs a general checkup. I'm not a violin student looking to play seriously, just a composer who wanted a string instrument on hand to experiment with techniques & effects.

If you recommend anybody, opinions would be great (e.g., "I've used this place and highly recommended it" / "I heard this place is good but I haven't been there" / etc.). In case it matters, I won't need this done til mid-July.

Thanks!