Camera Suggestions Anyone?

Okay.  I'm being sorely tested this weekend.  Not only am I still feeling the effects of the virus, but something else bodywise just cropped up to make life miserable for a few extra days.  Yahoo Groups with its new changes has decided to become the bane of my existence, and so I must work through other possible solutions for storing photos (I do have a couple options I am looking into thanks to the direction of some friends).  I had a packed weekend as you will have noticed.  I figure by Monday afternoon, I will have created a total of 14 posts including this one.  The octopus extension I use to attach USB cords to the computer will no longer recognize the printer or camera attachment.  However, even those are minor in comparison with the fact that when downloading the latest pics from the camera to the computer, the power button got stuck and we couldn't turn the camera off.  When I removed the batteries to see if we could just power it on and off that way, we can no longer get it to come on.  We so cannot afford to buy another camera right now but at the same time we have no choice. Scanning my cards, especially if they have any sort of embellishment on them is just not an option because as soon as there is any depth whatsoever, it starts to blur.

We do have just enough airmiles points to get one of the three cameras available but I just spent over two and a half hours that I don't have time for, going through product reviews and each of these cameras is pretty much considered crap in one way or another.  The three cameras in question are the: 

• Nikon Coolpix S3500 
• Canon PowerShot ELPH 130IS 
• Canon Powershot A3500IS 

I don't want to waste our points on a camera that isn't going to be half decent.  I don't need it to do many tricks, but it does need to take half decent pictures in low or bright light for that matter, not have too much noise in the picture quality, must be able to have a USB cable to download pictures (apparently the wi-fi aspects that come with the two bottom cameras listed above are extremely difficult to use and also don't work with windows xp which is what I currently have on my system); have a pretty good battery life (i.e. not need charging after taking 10 pics) and not crumble to pieces if it accidentally gets bumped or dropped.  Ultimately it would be great if it also had in a built in memory card, even if it were rather small.  I'm not asking for much for under $250.00 am I? 

The reviews were a little better on the Sony Cyber-shot DSC-WX150 and the Elph 330 HS.

We don't need a camera with serious bells and whistles, just the things that I mentioned above.   So, I am coming to you my friends and faithful readers. Do you have any experience with any of the cameras I listed above or recommendations on a camera under $300.00?  That is a serious bit of money for us to spend ESPECIALLY when I also still need to pick up a die cut machine and tablet.  

Oi vey!  If it isn't one thing, it certainly is another.  As I mentioned at the start of this post.  I am surely being tested.  I'm not sure that I'm going to pass with the grace and optimistic attitude that I would have liked.  Once again, all of these things are mere inconveniences and a drop in the bucket compared to what many people go through.  I guess not only is my immune system weakened right now but so is my positive outlook. So if there is anyone out there who can provide me with a little clarity on a half decent mid range digital camera, I'd certainly appreciate the feedback.

With mortification and self-abasement over the lack of positivity, I humbly come before you,