I agree, sewing machines are a good example of " You get what you pay for". Can you justify the cost by how much you are going to use it? If you sew everyday, and want to "grow" into a machine, then get what you want and don't feel bad. It is an investment into your sewing hobby. There is a reason that Bernina gets the money they ask for their machines. I just bought a 820 and my DH did not even blink, as he knows it is top quality and I will get back my investment. When I bought my first Bernina 25 years ago for 1,000, I also bought a note book and wrote down every thing I had sewn, how much it cost, and how much it would have cost in a store. I paid for that machine very quickly, and that machine runs today as well as it did the day I took it home. As you can afford it and justify it, then get what you want and enjoy!