Keep you eye out for used skate deals as you may pick up a quality skate at a low price. When playing use regular athletic socks in your skates. It is not necessary to wear heavy wool socks or boot socks. To avoid the leg chafing that occurs with some pads, long light weight soccer socks can be worn. Consider not wearing socks at all.
Many players swear by the feel they get skating without socks.
Some in-line hockey players use a thin polypropylene inner sock and then a regular athletic sock over it. The polypropylene sock wicks away moisture. Taping Taping the top of your skates is a personal choice. Some players believe that ankle sprains can be avoided and like the tightness. The downside is that it can restrict your flexibility and if it is too tight it could cause a sprain or strain a ligament in your foot.