You have been frugal all your life. You need a machine. You want a specific machine. You can afford it. Buy it. Consider this your retirement gift to yourself. You will probably sew even more after you have retired. You are worth this investment. I have been retired for 3 years, and I thank goodness that I bought a Bernina several years before I retired. People used to tease me because I had bought a Bernina that I never had time to sew on, but now I am so happy that I did.