I don’t go out and buy a ton of things, but when I do, I tend to do it pretty compulsively. I just bought some home gym equipment (compulsively). I’ve now realized I could have gotten more for the money if I would have just done my homework. Below is a list of questions and some suggestions that you should consider before you invest a home gym.

How much are you going to use it? This question will help you determine how much you should spend. If you are going to use the equipment casually, then you won’t need to put a ton of money into your equipment.

How much weight do you intend to be working with? If you are working with free weights, you will have to get enough weight to fulfill your workout needs. Serious bodybuilders will need a substantial amount of weight.

Will you be using your home gym part time or will it replace your gym membership? My home gym is not meant to replace my gym time. I bought it for those days that get crazy busy. My wife is a stay at home mom. For the sake of her sanity, I try to get home at a descent time. If I’m gone too much, the kids go crazy. I can either do a workout in the morning or I can come home after work and have my son play down in the basement while I workout. The answer to the above question will also help you determine how much money you need to spend.

How extensive will your home workouts be? This will determine what you will need in your home gym. In most cases, a few dumbbells and a bench with a bar will not be enough.

Along with the above questions here are some of my suggestions:

• 1. To save money, look into purchasing used equipment. Craiglist is a great place to find equipment at reasonable prices. You can find lightly used equipment half of the price than new equipment.
• 2. Try to purchase equipment that is already set up that you can try out. You may find that the equipment doesn’t move as smoothly as the equipment that you are used to using. I just bought a bench. I found out after buying it that I couldn’t reach the bar when in decline position. (I’m using bricks to elevate the bench.)
• 3. Really think things through before you buy.
• 4. If you are workout at the gym or at home, be sure to use supplements. We do not get the nutrients that we need from our food especially for bodybuilders. A great place to get supplements is BodyBuilding.com. The prices are very reasonable. In many cases they blow brick and mortar stores out of the water. BodyBuilding.com also has a lot of valuable information.