Year after year exercise ranks among the top five New Year resolutions that people make. As January nears gyms across the country cash in on this burst of momentum by offering some of their deepest discounts.

However, with the economy still lagging, a one-year gym membership can run hundreds of dollars that might be needed elsewhere. Whether you’re looking to drop a few pounds, tone up those muscles or improve your overall health, creating a gym in your house can give you the comforts of home while saving you money in the long run. Add in perks like private showers, no dress code and zero commuting time and you may never want to leave your place again.

Getting Started

It’s easy to imagine that a home a gym requires massive equipment and thousands of dollars, but all it takes is a little time and creativity to find savvy and cheap options. Start with a simple list of what kind of exercises you want to incorporate into your routine.

Deciding if you want to focus more on toning muscle or cardio will help narrow down what equipment to look for and help you resist impulse buys. Be honest with yourself and consider exercises that you will actually do. After all, no matter what you paid a piece is not a good bargain if you never use it. If you’re curious about a trendy new exercise, see if a location nearby is offering a free intro class. You can find out if the exercise is what you’re looking for and ask the instructor questions before spending a dime on any DVDs or equipment. Once you have a basic idea of what you’ll need, try following these tips to get your gear:

Bargain Hunt

Yes, you can bicycle outdoors or go for a walk in lieu of using a treadmill, but if that’s not an option, there are treadmills and bikes available that are designed to fold up and hide away when not in use. These can range from less than $200 to well over a thousand, but they easily pay for themselves when compared with monthly gym fees. Another benefit of having your own machine is never having to wait on line for someone else to finish (or worrying if they cleaned up before they left). With the new year around the corner, prices on fitness equipment are set to come down, so a little patience and comparison shopping can save you big bucks.

Certain websites and forums, such as SwapaDvd.com, give members the opportunity to trade their unwanted workout DVDs with others—and craig’s list is always worth a look. But the internet isn’t the only place to find discounted fitness gear. Public libraries are another good option to test run a DVD risk-free before buying—and Jessica from Buffalo found great deals in her local Barnes and Nobles, scoring a kit complete with resistance band, exercise ball, book and DVD for around ten dollars.

Recycle Everyday Items

Many household items can easily be used for exercise, as Kryss Shane from Astoria, New York discovered. “Rather than purchasing hand weights, I use milk gallons filled with water, weighed on a bathroom scale, and used for any exercise that requires dumbbells,” she says. By adjusting the amount of water in the bottles, she can customize how heavy her “weights” become. If doing bicep curls with gallon milk jugs sounds a little intimidating, half-gallon jugs, soda or water bottles can be substituted.

Other common household objects can be used as helpful props along with a DVD. For example, a trunk or shoe box can serve the same purpose as a stabilizing block for yoga poses. Instead of a yoga mat, Kim from Brooklyn uses an ordinary folded quilt to add comfort to her floorwork. “It probably wasn’t the best make-do exercise space ever, but for situps, yoga floor poses and any floor exercises that didn’t involve shifting feet, it worked,” Kim says. A rubber mat under the quilt keeps it firmly in place on the floor.

Create Your Own Class

If you like the motivation of working out with a instructor, try creating a class atmosphere inside your house. Health magazine websites such as Shape, Women’s Health and Yoga Journal all provide free videos that can be combined for a completely custom routine. These sites also have forums where you can get tips and encouragement from others. With video game systems increasingly coming out with fitness games, think about investing in one and inviting your friends over for a round of virtual tennis.

Look Outside The Home

For those of us who love the outdoors, or just don’t have time to exercise at home, try looking for ways to cram in a mini-workout on the run. It is recommended that people walk 10,000 steps a day to maintain their weight and clipping a pedometer on to your belt will let you know how much of that 10,000 you actually walk.

If your daily average keeps falling short, challenge yourself to find ways to boost your day step score. Kim points out that any set of stairs can be a prime opportunity to exercise. “You can do almost all of the step exercises that they do in gyms or in workout videos using it and it’s free!” Kryss takes a more playful approach and jumps rope. “I jump on the sidewalk when no one is walking by; otherwise my neighbors probably would get mad!”

When all else fails, there are always the basic body-weight exercises, most of which only require a bit of empty space on the floor or wall. Squats, push-ups and jogging in place are all great ways to work up a sweat and burn calories and they don’t cost a penny to do.

Article by Ro Molina for Moxy Magazine, December 2011. Photo credit: Vera Kratochvil via Publicdomainpictures.net.  

Ro Molina works as a freelance writer and general creative mercenary in the bright lights and seedy shadows of New York City. Her passions include food, gadgets and helping people with chronic illness kick life’s butt. Her current HQ is her blog, Life Despite Lupus (http://lifedespitelupus.com).