So, it's getting closer to the begining of the year (senior year, oh god!)and, since I DID sign up for digital photo 2 this year (hopefully I'll get taught more about how to actually shoot, instead of just stupid photoshop stuff), I figured I better find myself a camera.
What?, you ask, I don't have a camera?!

Yes, it's true and oh so sad. I've been getting by since April by borrowing them from friends or checking them out from school

(A process that is so NOT worth it, they lend them out only for a day and you better be sure you're one of the first to ask or you're SOL. Also they charge I think either 15 or 30 bucks if you forget to bring it back the next day, something I CANNOT afford, especially with my knack for losing and forgetting things. Basically I'm terrified the entire time I have said camera in my possesion.)

BORING BACK STORY

You see, I had a much used and abused Canon Powershot A75, good for the time when it was bought and fairly expensive for a point and shoot. But 8 or 7 years later... it became pretty frustrating. It only had 3x optical zoom and at only 3.2 mega pixels, it seriously hampered my ability to take pictures (it was also horrid in low light situations) Even through all of this I had to use it, I didn't really have a choice, and I was grateful to have a camera at all, but then.... the problems.

They actually had been going on for a good year at least, but by some miracle the camera would always seem to fix itself so we never really were too concerned about it. But then it started happening increasingly and for greater amounts of time; the camera would turn on, we could see the menu and select different things, but the view and any pictures we took would just come out black, OR it would just be a bunch of squigglies. But eventually we'd turn it back on and all would be well again, and so we forgot.

....Fast forward to April. Camera wasn't working at all. Couldn't even see the menues or anything, maybe the just turned on screen if you were lucky, but nothing else.

I was hopeful though, I only had to borrow and lend till mid May, because then it would be my birthday and I could take my camera in, and if it wasn't worth fixing, get a new one, I'd even found a good camera repair shop, with excellent reviews! ...but alas. Here I am today, with nothing but promises just as broken as my camera.

END OF BORING BACKSTORY

SO! I've decided to take matters into my own hands, try to get at my savings and buy a new camera. I'm looking for used and cheap! My price range is $100 and under (preferably under) but the pickins are slim! I'm pretty much looking for the best bargain I can find, Craigslist and Ebay are my saviors! I really, REALLY don't want a crappy snapshot type camera, I really want something that's an upgrade from my previous camera, so that I can use this one for years to come! But if I MUST I will buy a low end point and shoot, although, as I said, I'd rather not.

So far, Craigslist pickings are slim, although, there is constantly new stuff on there so I'm hopeful. Ebay has the opposite problem, without a specific camera model, or even brand in mind there are thousands to look through, and it's pretty daunting! Ebay is helpful to check prices on Craigslist however, to see if they're fair. The best deal I've found on there so far was a Canon Powershot G5 (5 megapixels and 4X optical zoom)for $100 from someone in Mt. Vernon but I'm still going to keep on looking, to see if I can't find someting cheaper.

Sooo! If anyone has any helpful tips or suggestions to help me out it would be muchly appreciated!!!