Welcome aboard! I've been using a vintage Remington older than I am for the last 20 years or so ever since my modern machine broke down and was not repairable. Remy was a friend of mine's grandmother's machine and I bought it for $20 instead of going to a stranger in a garage sale. It was/is a wonderful machine with a great steady straight stitch but just recently (last month!) a friend gifted me with a modern Bernina sewing computer and it's fun to have a machine smarter than me... but Remy isn't going anywhere other than under my sewing table.
Thrift stores are amazing. Years ago when they were overlooked I bought not one but two Singer 301s for under $20 each. All I had to do was clean and oil and plug in and they worked just fine. Craig's List also has some wonderful deals for cheap or free.