Camera Creeping like Crazy

I NEED WANT A NEW CAMERA...but the ones I am looking into are so expensive. Okay, okay, when I say, "looking into" I mostly mean typing "good digital SLR camera" into Google and seeing $800-$1,000 options which leads to my next thoughts, "no way compadre!" I know nothing about photography (except that one class I took in high school for my art credit) but I do know that I love taking pictures when I am on vacation, out with friends, and doing outfit posts for my blog...my Nikon Coolpix is just not cutting it. Every time I take a picture it looks pixilated and blurry so I must resort to the help of my friends cameras or use Mac Photobooth (which is decent but not the quality I am looking for). You see, I am a perfectionist, I need everything to be just so, and although I am learning to roll with the punches of things not being "perfect," I think having pride in the pictures I blog and post about is important. Therefore I need your help! What kind of cameras do you use? Where did you get them? Is eBay even a place to consider looking? I would ideally like something at the lower end of the camera-price-range...oh and easy to use because I'm a novice-beginner-so-make-my-life-easy-please-help-me-kind-of-girl!
Last night I met up with some friends at the bar. It's always nice to catch up over some red sangria...then white sangria...then tequila shots? Maybe I should cool it? It's my last semester though and classes didn't start yet, I think this makes it okay. Last night I wore:

Blazer: Dalia Collection (with leather wrap belt), Leggings: clearance at Marshalls (with leg zipper detail on back), Blouse: Mossimo for Target (silk blend), Boots: Sam Edelman, Watch: Michael Kors, Necklaces: gifted from Aunt