5 Ways to Create a Cheap Home Gym

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With the new year, millions of people typically renew their gym memberships. But instead of paying monthly or annually to work out, it’s possible for you to save money by creating your own gym at home.

This article is going to show you some ways you can create a home gym without busting your budget.

The Equipment You Need to Create a Home Gym for Cheap

What I found out pretty quickly is that you don’t have to spend a lot of money to create your own home gym. Here are five basic items you may want to have.

Note: Prices and stock quantities are accurate as of January 2, 2024. Also, prices listed don’t include taxes and shipping costs.

1. Download a Free Fitness App

download an app on your phone

First, you may need some motivation to get into workout mode. You can use a free fitness app like Nike Run Club, Sweat or Map My Run. Feel free to read our list of free fitness apps you can download.

I tried the Peloton app when there was a free 90-day trial, but now the trial is free for two months before Peloton starts changing money ($12.99/month for the cheapest plan).

As another option, Beachbody On Demand is like the Netflix of fitness and offers a 14-day free trial. Read Team Clark’s full Beachbody review.

2. Buy a Workout Mat

cheap workout mat

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A workout mat is essential because you don’t want to slip when you get sweaty. How much does a cheap mat cost? Here are the lowest prices I found at three major online retailers.

Each of these mats, by the way, has a customer review of four stars or better. The money you spend on a good mat can go a long way toward getting the body you want. Not only can you do some serious stretching on a mat, but you can do push-ups and different types of calisthenics.

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3. Get a Set of Weights

set of cheap dumbbells

If you just want to tone your arms or even build some real muscle, weights are a great way to do it.

By doing some simple repetitions with 5- or 10-pound dumbbells, you can strengthen your upper body without investing in a bench.

Here are some 5-pound dumbbells I priced for cheap on the websites of three major retailers:

4. Grab a Balance Ball

Balance ball for home gym

A balance ball — some call it an exercise ball or stability ball — can do wonders for your core muscles.

The Team Clark office even had one, so yes, it can work as an office chair. You can do quite a few exercises with a balance ball. Here’s a full exercise ball class I found on YouTube.

If you think a balance ball costs a lot of money, think again. Here are some balance balls (size 65cm) I found on the websites of three major retailers:

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5. Buy Some Resistance Bands

Resistance bands for cheap home gym

Resistance bands are great because you can use them almost anywhere. The elastic bands allow you to add resistance to your arms or legs and can be used in conjunction with your weights.

When I suffered an ankle injury a few years ago, I had to use resistance bands as part of my therapy, and they worked great!

Here are some of the cheapest resistance bands I found online at three major retailers. (Note: At the time of this writing, Target.com didn’t have a 5-pack of resistance bands):

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Final Thoughts

You can get some very good workouts at home if you set aside the time and stick to a routine.

Once you get used to it, you may come to realize that a home gym offers several benefits that a facility simply can’t match, including:

  • Privacy and no worries about “hogging” the weights or other equipment
  • Ability to work out at your own pace
  • The convenience of being at home
  • Fewer germs and more control over sanitizing equipment

As you can see, many of the items I found for my home gym can be bought online and at a great price. But you can also find great deals on used equipment by searching on sites like Facebook Marketplace or a local garage sale.

Ready to create your own home gym? Check out these great deals on health and beauty items from Clark Deals!

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