Stay away from "dime store" 'scopes. They are cheaply made with poor optics in most cases.
Unless you're going to be using the telescope for photography, I highly recommend a Dobsonian setup. You can get a LOT of aperture for the money.
Here's a review (not mine) of a very well-built 8-inch Dob:
http://www.epinions.com/content_42487352964