I agree that stainless steel is bad for coffee (glass-vacuum carafes are cheap and effective), but it usually takes awhile, an hour or more, before I notice a significant change in flavor from exposure to steel. On the rare occasion that I cannot avoid using a travel mug, I use this thermos tumbler.
Braces cost is around $4000-$6000. Braces cost $3,000-$10,000 depending on location and also on what kind of dentist does them, general dentist (cheaper) or orthodontist (more expensive). In European countries Braces usually cost about $5,000 nowadays.
According to costhelper.com, the national average cost for metal braces runs about $5,400 and can go as high as $7,600, but this varies depending on your city and type of treatment needed. Bracesinfo.com offers a dental cost calculator for more exact calculations.