For many of us, getting to the gym for a workout is hard to fit into our busy day.  A great alternative to joining a gym, and then trying to find the time to go, is to make your own gym… at home!

It is possible to construct your home gym for much less than you might think.  In a recent MoneySense article, Shantelle Meaney, kinesiologist and fitness supervisor at Calgary’s Preventous Collaborative Health said “Some people need to get out of the house or they simply can’t motivate themselves to exercise regularly. The biggest mistake people make is they have big dreams of getting fit, and they go out and spend a ton of money on equipment like a treadmill that they never end up using.”

The most important thing to remember when building your home gym is to start small.  It is possible to save money over the long run by having your gym at home, avoiding those expensive, hard-to-get-out-of gym memberships… but not if you spend a fortune outfitting your new home gym with the best and newest equipment money can buy.

With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the must-have home gym equipment and more importantly, where to find cheap exercise equipment.

Location

The first step in setting up your gym is to decide where in your home it will be.  It is important to find a place of your own to work out.  Exercising in the middle of the living room, with screaming kids and a blaring television, will make it hard to stay focused and get a good work out.

Your home gym does not have to be a big space, especially with the trend of leaving big machines at the fancy gyms and doing more body-weight related exercising.  …think Yoga mat!

Tools of the Trade

Now that you have your space designated, it’s time to get some equipment.  Here’s a short list of the essentials for getting a great work out.

Stability Ball

A Stability Ball is the perfect tool for toning your abs, thighs and more.  The best way to describe a stability ball, if you have no idea what I’m talking about, is that it resemble a big beach ball.  Except it is a lot tougher that that thin, multi-colored plastic ball you take to the beach.  Stability balls come in different sizes and it is important to fit yourself to the proper size ball.  Fitnessmagizine.com recently posted a great article on how to get the proper size ball and examples of great Stability Ball exercises.

A great place to find a stability ball on the cheap is Walmart.  They have stability balls that start at around $10 up to over $50.

Dumbbells

There is no doubt that dumbbells should be a part of every home gym.  That’s not to say that you must have two dumbbells of every weight from five pounds to over 100 pounds.  A good rule of thumb is that women will likely use 5, 10 and 15 pound dumbbells and men 10, 20, 30 or more pounds.  A better alternative would be to buy a set of adjustable dumbbells. With a set of adjustable dumbbells you usually have the option of adding or removing weight with a simple flick of a switch.

When looking to purchase dumbbells, either the traditional type or adjustable, check out your local Craigslist.  You might find that you can save a considerable amount of money compared to shopping at your local sporting goods retailer.

Jump Rope

A jump rope is a great, inexpensive way to get in a cardio exercise without leaving the house.  Jumping rope is not only a great cardio workout but all of that jumping up and down tightens the muscles around your organs, strengthening your core.

A jump rope can be had for a couple of dollars for a cheapie, or $50 or more for a “professional” jump rope.  When looking for a great deal on a jump rope check out the trusty Walmart or even eBay!

Hit the Mat

A Yoga mat can be a beneficial piece of equipment to have in your home gym, even if you don’t plan on practicing Yoga.  A Yoga mat can be made out of rubber, jute, cotton or PVC and provide a non-slip surface for the practice of Yoga.  It can also be a nice padded surface for doing sit-ups, jumping jacks or any other exercise especially if your new home gym has a hard floor.

Inexpensive Yoga mats can be found at just about any big retail outlet like Walmart or Target, or even online.

With the few items listed above you will be off to a great start in building your home gym, all the while saving time and money by losing the gym membership.  Remember to start out small when outfitting your new home gym, adding more equipment as the need arises.

If you find yourself struggling with debt or would like to find out about becoming debt free, call Debthelper at 800-920-2262, or visit @ www.debthelper.com.