• Rather than replacing your existing cabinets, consider ordering new kitchen doors and new hardware. Drawer fronts can also be replaced, but sometimes require new drawers with the new fronts.
• Paint-grade cabinets are cheaper than wood cabinets.
• For wood cabinets, cherry is the high-end selection. For the same look but for a lower price, consider maple cabinets with a cherry stain. Soft woods, such as pine, are not recommended for cabinets as the wood dents easily.
  
• Custom-made cabinet styles are either framed or frameless. "Framed" cabinets (think traditional, where the doors attach to the front) are cheaper than "framless" cabinets (aka, European-style where the cabinet door is also serves as the front).
• Modular cabinets, ordered from Home Depot/Lowe's/etc., come in 3" widths. Gaps are covered with a piece of matching filler wood.
  
• Countertops: Formica is the least expensive, followed by solid surface (such as Corian), then granite. However, consider what's the "norm" for your neighborhood so you don't affect your home's resale value.
  

If you are overwhelmed on where to start with your kitchen, I offer a one-hour Kitchen Consultation for $35 where I will spend time looking at your kitchen, taking measurements, check out your plumbing & wiring, and then explain what your various options are. You can then take this information & measurements and use it to get bids. (Of course, I'd also like to be one of the folks submitting a bid, so consultations with an estimate are free!)

Updating your home:

• The home shows are right: Paint is the cheapest way to update your house! In addition to the walls, also paint your interior doors and trim.
• Consider replacing your floor molding. Older homes typically have 2" floor trim, while newer homes have a 3" or 4" trim. (The higher the ceiling, the higher the trim can be.) Painting new trim before installing is easier than painting it afterwards! Nail holes from installation can be touched up later with caulk & paint.
  
• If you're painting over existing cabinets or woodwork, then use a high-quality brush and sand between coats to avoid brushmarks.
• Replace all of your interior doorknobs and outdated light fixtures.