Save Money With A Home Gym

Posted on Jul 24 2013 - 12:35am by Katherine Flowers

Home Gym

In the current economic climate, many people are trying to either reduce or at very least maintain their household expenditure. At the same time, you, like many others, are probably trying to keep as fit and healthy as possible.

For many, just going on a diet is not enough. There is a great appeal for working out at a gym to help lose weight and keep trim. The problem is that joining a gym is not cheap. Not only do you have a significant joining fee, even if there is a special offer to reduce the costs, you will have monthly outgoings in the form of a monthly membership subscription.

Furthermore, if you are just setting out on a health fitness program, you may also feel the need to kit yourself out with a new pair of running shoes or trainers and a couple of gym outfits. The other thing to bear in mind is that you will also have the expense of getting to and from the gym, unless it is in walking distance.

So, what other options are there?

One idea many are now considering is setting up a gym in the comfort of your own home. An immediate benefit is that you will not have the travel expense, as all you will need to do is to walk that short distance from one room to that you have been able to set aside as your gym.

The article also referred to the fact that you would no doubt go out and buy yourself some gym clothes and shoes if you were joining a new gym, so that you can “keep up with the Joneses”. Well, in your own home you will not need to do that if you don’t want to. If you decide to run in your old, ratty clothes or indeed naked that is your choice!

You will have the expense of kitting out your gym with certain pieces of gym equipment, such as a treadmill, but there are lots of companies selling treadmills these days so it is easy to get a good deal. Alternatively, you could rent the equipment instead, thus saving you the capital expenditure that would have been required. Obviously, you would need to compare the rental costs with the fees to join and monthly subscription of attending a public gym.

If you do have a limited budget, then you could start off by purchasing just one piece of equipment and progressively add to your portfolio of fitness equipment over a period of time. Another option is to purchase items for your gym second hand. All you need to do is to key something like “second hand fitness equipment” into your browser’s search box and you will be presented with numerous sites offering such items. In the current financial climate, be prepared to bargain and try to get the asking price reduced. It costs absolutely nothing to ask – at worst the seller can say “no”.

Another consideration is to allow close friends to use your home gym to work out in and charge them for doing so, although you will need to check out any implications as far as your house insurance is concerned and whether you require any other form of insurance. Nevertheless, it may be economically viable to consider this option.

In the case of buying weights to lift, remember that if you are just starting out you will not be able to lift the heaviest of weights. Therefore, there is absolutely no point in purchasing a full set of weights. Start off with the lighter ones, which will be cheaper than the heavier ones and only buy the heavier ones when you are capable of lifting them.

As you can see, there are many ways that you can save money by setting up your own home gym in the comfort of your home. Hopefully, some of the above suggestions will inspire you to take the matter forward, leading to a healthier lifestyle.

When setting up your gym, be sure to consider safety, abilities and budget. Talk to retailers about equipment, prices and how to use each piece. Ensure you get equipment you will use and enjoy to get the most out of your investment.

Photo Credit: Flickr/CherryPoint

About the Author

Katherine Flowers felt inspired to preach about healthier lifestyles after purchasing treadmills online as a consultancy service. She hops on a treadmill from time to time herself in the hopes of enriching her fitness regimen.