As far as saving money, you can go for stock cabinets. Keep in mind that your selection of finishes may be limited, and the finish may not be as durable as it would be on custom cabinets. However, if you don't expect the cabinets to take a lot of abuse, stock cabinets are a practical, if slightly boring, solution. On the countertop, the least expensive surface is high-pressure laminate. Its disadvantages are that it cannot take heat, it's nearly impossible to repair and the less expensive versions leave a dark brown seam at the edges.
Laminates are available that have the color running the entire thickness.
This eliminates the seam, but these color-through laminates more. For appliances, stick with basic white and you can save money. Both gas and electric cooking appliances have lots of options nowadays. Keep the range simple and you save money. Do your homework, find out what's available in your basic price range.