This is exactly what I recommend for people looking for their first machines. Maybe not so much as getting a next door neighbor that will give you one for free, but to find one of these old belt driven models. Usually they sit around in thrift stores for less than $30 bucks. And if you get it professionally serviced (usually somewhere in the $75 range depending on where you are), you have a under $100 machine that will sew thru those cheap machines you get at Wally World. Hell, I was just working on some thicker materials that my $700.00 Bernina started to balk at, so I pulled my 60s, belt driven Brother up and it went right through it like butter.
Hands down the way to go for a learning machine. You just can't plan on travelling with it.