Everybody has already given good advice, but I'll tell you my experience.
When I took up sewing about five years ago, inspired by GBSB, I bought a Singer (something, can't remember the model) from Argos, it was about a hundred pounds. I only bought it from there because I would get a £10 voucher which I thought was well worth it.
I used it a lot until about one year in the foot pedal jammed 'on' and couldn't be fixed, think modern plastic
After looking round the cheapest replacement pedal would cost £60.
In the meantime I had inherited my MIL's Janome which she had bought sometime in the 80's, it was computerised, it had buttons and it terrified me. Putting my big girl pants on one day I plugged it in and tentatively started tinkering with it, and there and then I fell deep
The new Singer ended up at the council tip, and the Janome is still going strong.
What I'm trying to say is that it is worth looking at older pre-loved models over a new one which may only have half of the functions available, and on the down side, might not last long.
Let us know what you decide, we're nosey