As a stay-at-home mom, my time spent at the Y is important for my sanity. I get exercise (weights, weight machines, and the treadmill all get used regularly) and a chance to talk to adults.

I can’t easily go for good cardio walks (see previous comment on small children). We don’t have the space for a treadmill at home. We also don’t have the space for using weights without moving a significant amount of furniture (sofa and sofa table), plus my son, the 3-yr-old, literally clings to my legs when I try to work out at home, including just yoga, let alone when I pick up something fun like hand weights!

I find it very difficult to focus on working out when I’m at home with my kids. It’s much easier to stay on task at the gym without someone interrupting me every 5 minutes or that heap of unfolded laundry staring me in the face!

I can see it being valuable for people who live places that get really cold or hot or people who are bodybuilding and need a LOT more BIG equipment and weights than most of us do.

I will say that I do personal training (in her home gym) 2x a week and it is TOTALLY worth it. AND its cheap-ish because she doesn’t have to pay the gym a cut of what she charges. My coworkers pay 50 bucks for a 30 minute session at the gym. I pay 30 bucks for a 50 min to an hour session. AND the amount of time is based on what exercises she thinks I need to do that day and how fast I do them.

So if you can find something like the above with an ACE certified trainer I recommend trying it a few times.

I’m paying $125 a month. It’s a lot. A lot more than a regular gym.

But I fail at regular gyms. I lack motivation. I’m intimidated, and scared to death of the meatheads and cardio bunnies.

I went to Cossfit and I was welcomed immediately. Coaches and other members were slowing down THEIR workouts in a highly competitive environment to help and encourage me along the way. I’ve gone to two sessions and I can hardly move I’m so sore…

And I’m so happy about the whole thing. It’s not cheap, not frugal. I’m going to have to cut back in other areas – restaurants and entertainment to pay for this.

But after years of struggling with my weight and hating my body and how I look, it’s time that I invest my money and my time into improving myself.

This is a place I can no longer afford to be frugal.

This was an investment, and it was worth it to me. But I would not say it was the frugal choice. I can walk outside for free anytime (if I don’t mind the rain). But I was getting bored with years of walking outside, and I wanted to do something new and challenging. It was also nice to be excercising inside when it was raining, and I really enjoyed using the gym’s hot tub and sauna in the winter.

So, as several commenters have said above, joining the gym wasn’t the frugal choice, but it was (and is) an investment in fitness and good health.

That being said, I realized for the price of a year’s gym membership I could easily buy an above average treadmill on craigslist (lots available, as not everyone keeps their new years resolutions) and the other things I use there are rather cheap to supply (if I really needed to). I already have the stability ball and a few hand weights that I’ve picked up at garage sales.

So, perhaps when the membership expires and the weather turns harsh again, I’ll be checking out craigslist instead of the gym. The last remaining factor is finding a place for the treadmill in my house. I think I could figure it out, but if I lived in an apartment it would be out of the question. Also, what if I moved? That would be one more thing to haul.

To me, gym is that frivolous something. Case in point: I worked out in various gyms for some years with no apparent result. In the end, I bit the bullet and got myself a trainer and great financial sacrifice, I got myself a trainer. Some four years later, I shed 25 kg with the help of three different trainers over the years. While my motivations fluctuate with time, I can honestly say the money spent on trainers were worth every penny.

The result, like you says, comes from within me. I am in the best shape of my life, and I like it. I am sure many are in my shoes, too.

For P90X, you need dumbbells or bands, and pull-up bar (or use the bands), and a yoga mat. The video is about $120 I think. It takes from one hour to 1 1/2 hours per day, 6 days a week.

But I guess the real point is that everyone needs to find the system that works for them.