You can buy many, many machines for under $200. For a beginner machine, she only needs forward, reverse and a zigzag. As she progresses, she will figure out what bells and whistles she wants and this will still be a good basic fallback machine. When on sale, you can get a very good basic machine for $150 or less. I am not a fan of the brother machines, but there are many singers and whites that are great starter sewing machines. Also, check out a local sewing machine repair shop. They often have truly wonderful refurbished machines (good old metal ones!) really, really cheap.