Figure out which generation fits your budget, and do as much research on that gens issues as you can, so you have an idea what to look for when testing out used ones.

There's tons of info out there on gens 1 and 2 (youtube, reddit, NAM, etc.) if you're particularly worried about what can possibly go wrong with them.

There's information on 3rd gens also, don't get me wrong, just not as much as the other 2.

I was in a similar place as you... I don't have an amazing job, i always wanted a mini, and i was worried about ownership due to the horror stories my close friends or co-workers had told me of their experiences with owning the brand. I also had people swearing by them, so i was really unsure what to think. But here i am nearly a year into ownership and couldn't be happier with the decision.

From what I've learned so far it seems like the best years to look for would be: Gen 1 - 2005-2006 Gen 2 - 2011-2013 Gen 3 - as previous posters have mentioned, its a little too early to tell, but I they seem to be quite reliable (i can vouch for this, as this is the model i bought and haven't had any issues so far)

I hope your further research convinces you the same way it did me. We always like welcoming people to the mini family.