I see that these posts were from 2008, but sure helped me just now.

A neighbor gave me an ad that appeared in the St. Petersburg Times about these machines on sale. I have been looking for a machine to leave here in FL and not tote my Viking back and forth. You saved me even going and looking at them. The ad was worded just as you quoted.

Jean in MI/FL

I'm so glad I saw this post. I was thinking of getting one tomorrow. I think I'll wait.

wow I hope you find out some concrete advice.......welcome form Napa valley in California!

This same exact sale is being advertised for K-Mart in Delaware for 3/17/2013. Amazing that 5 years later they are still getting away with the same scam. $129 in this ad with teacher models for $199 & $299. Makes me want to print out this post and all the comments and pass it out to everyone that shows up!! Or better yet, picket in the parking lot, LOL! I can't stand rip-off artists!

Welcome from Adrian, MI ~ probably wouldn't be a bad beginner machine.

A friend and I each bought one of the school Singer machines years ago at Hancocks several years ago. We both found them to be very cheaply made. Perhaps things have improved since them.

We had one donated to our sewing group. It is a cheap plastic machine, the serging cutter is for light weight material. The blade is very small. It is used by school kids learning to sew. We already had problems with it when the foot lifter snapped out of alignment. I can't wait for the next breakdown. :p Ha Ha I personaly would not pay $50.00 for it.

Well, here it is 10 years later and these machines are still being sold at the Dollar General. But for $139 now. My DH saw the ad in the paper today and brought it to my attention, since I had expressed some interest in a serger. I googled and came up with this thread from 2008.
I am definitely not tempted, but I thought I would bring up this subject again to help any newbies out there avoid a $139 mistake.