Restoring a Dresser
All Furniture Services
21 E. 40th St., at Madison Ave.; 347-528-7777
They’ll send a workman to your home to restore your beat-up chest of drawers for $145 to $275—and they’ll try to do it with nontoxic chemicals so you don’t have to air it out afterward.
Average repair: $145 to $295
Price to buy new: An Acacia Low Dresser is $399 at CB2.
Savings: $124 (at least)

Rewiring an Old Lamp
Lexington Hardware & Electric
797 Lexington Ave., at 62nd St.; 212-838-5386
The hardware store will rewire most any lamp for around $35 (including labor and parts), and often in just one day.
Average repair: $35
Price to buy new: A cut-glass table lamp at West Elm is $129.
Savings: $94

De-staining a Rug
Flat Rate Carpet
888-905-7847
Kool-Aid, red wine, whatever you’ve managed to get on your carpet—these guys can get it out. Their steam-cleaning services are a steal at $1 to $4 per square foot, which translates to $24 to $96 for a four-by-six-foot area rug. They pick up and deliver, too.
Average repair: $24 to $96
Price to buy new: A solid Kira rug at Crate & Barrel is $299.
Savings: $203 (at least)

Fixing a Digital Camera
Marty’s Camera Repair
7125 Austin St., Ste. 203, Forest Hills; 718-793-4666
At the top repair places in Manhattan, a new digital-camera lens can run $100 to $200. But the same well-executed lens swap runs around $80 at this small, repair-anything shop in Queens.
Average repair: $80
Price to buy new: A Canon PowerShot SX110 is $280 at Circuit City.
Savings: $200

Making Boots Look New
Cesar’s Shoe Repair
180 Seventh Ave., at 21st St.; 212-961-6119
A total boot overhaul is just $45 for high-heeled women’s boots and $75 for flat men’s shoes.
Average repair: $45 to $75
Price to buy new: Men’s Kenneth Cole Plain 2 C boots are $255, women’s Kenneth Cole Street Wise boots are $350.
Savings: $180(at least)

Replacing Coat Linings
Nelson Tailor Shop
Rivington St. nr Attorney St.; 212-253-7071
The often-raved-about shop will do a lining replacement for $55 and up, depending on how intricate the coat is.
Average repair: $55
Price to buy new: A Shipley coat at J. Crew is $350.
Savings: $295

Repairing a Snagged Dress
Orchard Express
136 Orchard St., nr. Rivington St.; 212-677-1099
The no-frills shop is known for two things: fast (but excellent) work and super-low prices.
Average repair: $5
Price to buy new: A Tahari by ASL silk chiffon top is $138 at Macy’s.
Savings: $133

Annual Savings: $1,229

Related:

• Archive: “Cover Story”
• Table of Contents: Nov 10, 2008 issue of New York | Subscribe!