Now that we know a little more. You do not need or want front suspension. I can not stress this enough (as everyone else has also) but if you are looking for a little cush to your ride you will want to find something with bigger tires. 35mm tires or bigger will do more to smooth out your ride then a cheap suspension fork and wont rob you of all your pedaling power. While you didn't mention any long rides or charity events, I will warn that this is an addictive hobby and the more you ride the more you will want to so I would get something less than upright. If your current fitness level is mediocre or at least not bad you should be able to get comfortable fairly quickly on a "fitness" style bike. I am big fan of steel bikes and wont ride any that aren't, (mostly just so I can say "steel is real") but it is a personal choice and I dont want the rant to begin.

I would also have recommended a used bike but I also understand your concern. If you have a friend who is into bikes maybe they could help (but then you probably wouldn't be here) so I am afraid the short answer is you may have to increase your budget a little, go down to your local bike shop (LBS), don't stop with just one try them all, and ask for some help. This is a pretty good time of year, you could get a last years model at a discount. The biggest advantage with a bike shop is going to be fit. Even a "new" bike that doesn't fit is no fun.