I know that many here will certainly disagree with me, but I would avoid debt. When you are building a business, it is tough to do with debt hanging over your head. This business can (and will) be a fickle lady. There will be dry spells that will make you sweat, and those are much easier to weather if you don't have to worry about a bunch of payments. A portable is a little more work, but it will get you through. I would do this: Start making a truckmount payment now, and put it in savings. I would do this for at least 6 months, or a year. If you make it a year without having trouble making that payment, you have done well. If you make extra, stick it in that account. You might find you can pay enough in to pay cash for a truckmount in a year or so. If you start that way, the tm will be a blessing instead of a curse. Truckmounts break down too, and it sucks to be making payments on something that aint workin'! If you look, you can find decent machines for five grand and under. I may be selling my old hammer eventually, and it will probably go for about seven or eight thousand truck and all. It is not brand new, but it works well. That is the kind of deal to find, but being careful not to buy junk.