It is pricey, if you buy it new. I got it used for $20 from a friend who was getting rid of stuff. But we have no car and use the stroller almost every day, which is how I know having a reclining one is very helpful if you want baby to sleep in it. Otherwise, baby kind of curls over him/herself and it looks rather uncomfortable, or ends up leaning the side of his/her face against the metal frame, and every time you go over a bump or slightly uneven pavement, their head bangs against the frame.
There are several in the $50-70 range on the Walmart website that reclines. It doesn't have to go down completely flat. Have you checked Craigslist as well?