This is a very interesting thread. I can "hear" a lot of not-anyone-else's-business in most of the responses, and I totally agree. What my wife and I spend, or don't spend, money on, is our concern. We might get a lot of utility from a very expensive item that other people would never use. The reverse is also true. Just because something wouldn't appeal to me doesn't mean it doesn't fill a need or want for someone else.
I would like to add one thought though. MJP's husband said it. A sewing machine is a tool. Some tools only do one thing. Some do lots of things. Most men know the important thing a about a tool is that it will properly do the job you need it to do. To get the one that does the job right you may have to spend a lot of money. If the job is important you bite the bullet and spend the cash. Some of you have said that your husbands insisted on buying you more machine than you would have bought otherwise. That's because men know the VALUE of a good tool. When I sold Pampered Chef I always encouraged the hosts to have couple parties for that very reason. A good tool saves you work in the long run.
You also have to consider your own skill. My wife and I have a nice antique upright piano. We are both hacks, but we can plink out a tune when the mood strikes us. Our piano is great for us. With our means, a $100,000 Steinway would be a waste, because at our skill levels it would never sound better than our free upright. Our friend Jonathan is a concert-quality pianist. I wish he could afford a fine instrument like a Steinway because he would use it to its potential.
Same thing with sewing machines. We have a few vintage sewing machines and a couple of fairly modern Pfaffs. They do the jobs we need them to do. We will never make heirloom quality quilts, so a $15,000 Babylock Destiny would be under utilized. Some of you do elaborate embroidery or precision sewing that is in a totally different league from us. That same machine could give you the tiniest edge you need to make that important quilt just right, or win a competition. I hope you can buy the Destiny and enjoy it to its fullest.
What it all boils down to is using the best quality tool that you can afford. In the long run, you get more satisfaction out of your work or hobby when you use the right tool for the job.