I struggled with the decision of whether or not to invest in a serger as well. In the end, I bought an inexpensive, but capable, Brother serger from Walmart - and it was definitely the best choice for me. I have used it to serge around napkins, hand embroidery projects (rather than taping the edges), baby clothes, etc.. I wouldn't say I use it frequently - but I do use it regularly. It was worth the minimal investment I made.