The ukulele is a fun instrument. Some may call the ukulele a toy, so what; toys are fun to play with! But it really isn’t a toy at all, it’s a true instrument and you can do wonderful things with it. Also don’t make the mistake by thinking that it is an easy instrument, you will need to practice a lot to master it, but even when you only know the basics it is already so much fun! Enjoy playing it and without knowing, you will improve each and every day. This is the most important one of all when you are serious about wanting to learn how to play the ukulele. There are a few good ukuleles in the $100 range, but you can almost be sure that a ukulele under $50 is not that good. The main issue you will have is that it won’t be able to stay in tune. I speak from experience. I’ve bought a $45 “Harley Benton” soprano once and it couldn’t keep the E string in tune for even one strum. So be warned! Check out a buying guide to get the right ukulele for you and if you have the chance, try some ukuleles in your local music shop.
This may sound stupid but it can help you a lot in the future! Take a few minutes and try some positions either sitting or standing. When you are sitting, you can let the body of the ukulele rest on one of your legs and rest your strumming arm on the top of the ukulele. That way the ukulele neck should “float” in the air. When you are standing you can hold it against your chest and keep it there with your strumming arm. All this may take some practice but it will pay of in the end because that way you will be able to pick up your ukulele and play (even when walking around), without messing around first. In my opinion a strap is unnecessary and it just adds bulk to the ukulele. I had some trouble at the beginning, but nowadays I’m walking around the house, in the garden with my ukulele. Small note: don’t hold it too tight! The sound still needs to vibrate properly through the body.