So you’re looking to build the perfect home gym in your garage or a spare bedroom, but you don’t want to spend a lot of money. This is okay. We live in tough economic times, and for most people, spending $1000 to $1500 on a full home gym is not in the cards at the moment. What you can do, however, is furnish your home with all the essentials for a solid training experience, without going over five hundred dollars.

First, let’s look at some of the essentials that you will need. An adjustable bench is an obvious choice. Be sure it is rated to support at least 300 pounds. A chin bar is an item which may be harder to fine, but should only run you a couple of bucks and can be attached anywhere in you home. A decent squat rack can be found in many places, and should have adjustable pegs. You will want to buy an Olympic weight set – the one with the big, not the small holes – so that it will last you for years. Finally, an assortment of dumbbells will be an ideal way to finish this off.

Your gym will not arrive in a week. If you’re looking to build up a gym on a very limited budget, it may take a month or longer. You will want to search far and low for good deals. Here are some ideas for places to begin your journey.

Craigslist

You should be able to purchase all of these items in used condition, and save about 50% of the price compared with buying them new. In these desperate times, people are willing to part with gym equipment they aren’t using at some very good prices. Placing your own ad, searching for a list of ten items and listing the price you are willing to pay, is a great idea. While it’s impossible to know if the guitar or computer you buy from a stranger will work in a week, it’s easy to evaluate the worth and condition of a barbell or weight plate.

Garage sales

These people want to sell these items, and they want to sell them bad. If they had to lug the bench or weights into their front yard, there is a good chance they don’t want to drag them back inside. Offer low, and stick to your guns!

Friends & Family

You probably know of a few family members or co-workers who gave you the long speech about how they’re getting back in shape, only to realize months later their plans for their new gym equipment never materialized. Casually mention to them the fact that you’re in the market for some used gym equipment, and see if they bite. You may be able to trade away that used Playstation 2 or 1985 guitar amplifier that is just collecting dust in your garage.

Play it Again Sports

This nationwide chain offers a variety of used sporting equipment at fair prices. It’s not as cheap as your would find from a desperate seller on Craigslist who is facing eviction, but it is an option for that tough-to-find piece of gear that you can’t locate anywhere else. Plus, they take trades!

If you like this article, click here to share: