Since you're a beginner, I would stay away from the machines that can practically do everything. At least for now. Not that there's anything wrong with those machines, but you should discover whether or not you actually like machine sewing before buying something a little 'fancier'. I think its best to buy a basic machine and upgrade later if you wanted than to buy the machine that can do everything and find that you never even use the extra features, thus finding you wasted your money. But no matter what machine you buy, always do your research.
I bought a Brother LX2500 a couple months ago. I think it was $80 at Wal-Mart. I don't free motion quilt so I'm not sure how well it would do with that, but I can say its perfect for basic sewing and machine piecing. So far I've started five different cosplay costumes and did some test piecing for my fiance's quilt. And its easy to use. I'd definitely recommend this machine for the beginner or someone who doesn't need much to get their sewing done.