My first thought was to advise you to get a used machine. A straight-stitch only machine such as a Singer 301, 201, or 99 would be very inexpensive compared to today's nicer machines, but with the attachments they can do almost everything the newer machines can do.
I recently taught my 24 year old stepdaughter how to sew on a Singer 301 and she was impressed with how much one can do with those "mysterious" attachments.
Once you have learned the basics of sewing, and know you enjoy it, this would be the time to spend more $$ on a "fancier" machine.