First the alternator went bad, so I replaced it (yes I did have it checked first). The car was running fine for a few days, then the tach and spedo both went down to 0. When that happened it would slowly lose power until the battery died. The battery was replace right before the alternator. It runs fine under jumper cables, but slowly bucks and wastes away after they are taken off, if you drive it. It can sit and idle though. Any suggestions on tests or fixes?

Girlfriend thinks I should fix it since I'm her little hero... haha

 

Have your girlfriend buy you a multimeter so you can check the voltage output of the ALT.
then you'll be a Smart Hero

 

Things to test to start with:

Is your alternator belt tight? Is it slipping? (If it is shiny on the sides it might be.)

How good are the battery connections?

How good are the battery cables? And their connections at both ends?

Are all electrical conncetions in the charging and starting systems clean and tight? How about any shorts? How are the fuses?

Do you have an obvious drain on the battery someplace -- like a light on in the trunk? You could take the cables off the battery for the night and see what happens.

These are some of the basics of the situation. Good luck.