Have you considered the Nikon D7200? It's listed here for best value DSLR for 2018:
http://www.photographytalk.com/photography-articles/8173-hot-cameras-for-2018 My wife has this camera, it came out mid 2015, APS-C 24.2 MP sensor. She loves the camera and considering your budget this will work really good for you. For that "Stretch a bit further", you could apply that $$ to a lens or two.
To be honest there is a night and day difference between the Panasonic DMC FZ82 and the Nikon D7200. Your getting nearly 2.5X MP, battery will last nearly 3X and low light of the D7200 crushes the DMC DZ82 with 25,600 vs 6400.
In short, you'll spend a little more for the D7200, but that will be an investment that will last the Panasonic. Heck, my iPhone has more MP than that Panasonic.