Although you have quite low mileage on a 14-year old car, the relative little mileage on it may also mean that your coolant hoses are dried out and cracked, aside from being old. In addition to that, the radiator neck and the water pump are weak spots on these cars, at least as originally outfitted. The $500 you mentioned earlier, if that's for a new water pump (you gotta replace it if yours is the ceraminc type, which it almost certainly is) plus a radiator isn't that bad a price.
As to the leak you've just described, I'm not sure whether that's the hose or the connection. Your most prudent bet is to take the car to a shop (no need to go to a dealer) (or do it yourself if capable and inclined) and have them do the radiator, water pump, AND associated plumbing. It'd also be a smart move to have the entire cooling system, radiator AND block, flushed and replaced with new stuff.
Fourteen years and only 37,000 miles makes me wonder about the service record of this car. If you don't have that information, start from scratch and do everything (over time) to establish a baseline for yourself (so you can add another 14 years of driving).