I started with one of the seated Do All Outdoors manual ones that can stand alone or slip into a 2" receiver. Loved it as it threw nested or staged pairs very well, but always pretty much the same so the challenge fades quickly but for $20 in a tattered box off of Craigslist, can't complain.
Moved to one of the Trius Trap Masters which is likewise seated and articulates some as it is on a pivoting tripod of sorts. Threw faster and farther than the Do All, and you could easily mix it up so that they weren't all the same. Again worked very well throwing pairs either nested or staged on the arm. Ordered it from Southern Outdoors I think for $125, not terrible.
Both of those have to be manually cocked and could wear an old fella out.
Take your kids!
Graduated to one of the Champion Wheelybird Autos from Wallyworld. Got it on clearance for $150. Attached a riding mower battery on a bracket between the handle and frame. Works like a champ throwing birds far and fast, and can be articulated a bit by a buddy on the handle, or can be used alone with the foot trigger. Just can't do more than singles with it sadly.
So I picked up another and by the time that I did the price had dropped to $112.50, pretty fair deal.
If you combine what I've spent on what I have, even though they were great deals, I could have likely come close to what FITASC suggested and I'd have probably been happier.