My advice is to either:a) save up till you can afford the 1200s
b) buy used 1200s (most people keep them in very good condition, and they are built to last), or
c) don't be a dj
from what I've heard, all the other brands suck. I hear the Stanton's are slightly decent, but are way too expensive for the quality of table you get.
Oh, and under no circumstances should you even consider being a cdj. Please, for the love of shit, don't.
Check ebay or local classifieds. I'm sure you'll find some nice Technics you can afford.