yes another camera rec needed.

I am still using film. I protested the digital thing as long as I could, but it just isn't working for me anymore. I have recently moved and there are no good labs in my area. I have found I really do love using photoshop, so I am spending at minimum $13 on a roll of film plus processing and scanning, the time I spend doing all of this extra work, etc. My photos are always good, but the idea of knowing instantly that I have a good shot really appeals to me. I have small children and I can't go back and reshoot those milestones by using my current methods. I shoot a lot of film to make sure i get those perfect shots, so I probably use 2-3 rolls per month typically, and on a birthday month or holiday I may shoot as many as 5. So I am guessing i go through 40 rolls of film per year, and at $13 a roll that is over $500 ANNUALLY wasted.

I am trying to convince my husband that it is a good idea to upgrade, but he has a hard time paying that $500 in one lump sum, and doesn't mind so much that it is spread over the course of a year. So I am trying to go digital on a tight budget, but I don't just want any old piece of plastic with a memory card.

Currently I have an Olypmus I-50 and an old Canon A-1. The Olympus is my main camera since it is much easier to get quick photos of my kiddos, and my husband can also use it without confusion. I do use the A-1 quite a bit too for obvious advantages over the other.

Here are the two scenarios I am looking at -

a high end point and shoot - like the Powershot S3. - this is still better than my i-50 and I could always have my A-1 on backup if I ever felt the need for a higher zoom.

an older used version of a decent dslr that I could buy lenses for over time that would be compatible with a newer, better body eventually. Right now I am thinking something in the Rebel family, but I know those are very popular and I am ok going with a less "trendy" camera as long as the quality is there and I could upgrade the body and keep the same lenses down the road.

The high end point and shoot is something I could get sooner but i would really love a DSLR. Are there any good cameras that might fit one of my two scenarios above that I should be on the lookout for? I am totally fine buying used equipment at this point and the less it costs, the easier it will be to convince my tight husband...

THANKS!