'01 Chevy Malibu won't start out of the blue?

[s_westcott]

I have an '01 Chevy Malibu with 83,000 miles on it. I runs great as of last night. I drove the car at 7pm last night and it was fine. Then at 10:30 last night I was going to go to work and it would not start. It cranks, chugs like it is trying to start, and all the electric things work. It is not the starter as I have had many problems with starters on other cars and I know the symptoms of that. Now here's what might really help, When the car chugs for a bit my gas gage (which has 3/4 of a tank of gas) will die out to empty and the gas light will come on. Now I replaced the fuel filter and fuel pump less than a year ago. What can it be? I just want to know ideas before I get raped by a mechanic as I am a female and get taken advantage of in that department sometimes. If i go in knowing what I am talking about maybe they will go easy on me.