Tuning my soprano A string trouble

Hi!
I've had my Lanikai LU-21 ukulele for a while now, but the A string snapped when i tried to tune it once. It's been a couple months, and i've been through 2 strings trying to replace it! I tried Aquila strings, but to get it in the correct tone, it just breaks. Right now, the string i have on it is very tight, but still not in tune. I'm kind of scared to keep tuning it, in fear it will break on me again. I've also tried tuning a step down, but the note is still too high for me to achieve it.

Are there brands that have looser strings? (my friends uke is always in tune, but the strings are not as tense as mine at all!)
Could it be my tuning gears?
What's a good, under $15 digital tuner I could buy?

I really appreciate the help!

If it's that tight that it keeps snapping you've got it up way to tight. Find someone with a digital tuner or someone who can check it for you. It is quite unusual for uke strings to snap so quickly and there is a good chance that if you have got them up to tight the bridge could come unattached! That will cost you a lot more than new strings or the price of a cheap tuner.

Assuming the other strings are correct, try to match it with the fifth fret "E" string. Tuners can be fooled by overtones and it's likely you're tuning it way too high.

Could you be tuning it an octave high? That might do it.

Sounds like you are tuning too high.
If not though check where the string is breaking.
There might be a burr on the tuning peg cutting the string or a bad spot on the saddle cutting the string.
If you are using an electronic tuner make sure it is set on A440.
There are several i-net tuners where you can check and see if you are on the right octave.
Again, my first guess was you are an octave off.

It seems that his answer was deleted. He told us last week that he was indeed tuning too high. He's still getting the hang of pitch discrimination and is having trouble telling one note from the other.