If you get a lot of satisfaction from doing things yourself, then spend the money to buy a good Lincoln, Miller or Hobart MIG. Any of their modern 120-volt units will work fine. And don't skimp on a flux-core unit; you'll want gas at some point anyway so get it up-front.
If you've never welded before and you've got a nearby community college that offers welding classes, do it. Otherwise, get lots of scrap metal and burn away -- just be sure the metal is clean... there's plenty of help on YouTube. I wouldn't attempt anything structural until you're proficient at setting the right heat range and getting proper burn-in, though.
I was introduced to welding in Metal Class in 7th grade, but it was eliminated when CA Proposition 13 eviscerated funding for public schools. So I bought a MIG 30 years later and used it to weld in panels on my Porsche 914. I now own an oxy-acetylene setup and recently bought a huge old Miller TIG machine to learn something new. Have fun!