Canon Powershot A520: $60 max on Ebay.
Light box (Part of a set bought for $30 on Ebay).
Full natural sunlight
The camera you get is a bit less important than learning how to take advantage of its strengths, and avoid its weaknesses. Take a zillion test shots in all sorts of different lighting, and figure out what your camera can do.
I don't have a 'good camera', but there you go. The next model I get will have a stabilizer, and all sorts of nifty stuffy, but for now? I can get what I need from this one.