How to Build a Home Gym On a Budget

Commercial gyms can suck.

They’re filled with the things that make them suck: People and rules. People don’t clean up their sweat, put their dumbbells back on the racks, and sit on equipment using their phones–equipment you’ve been waiting to use but can’t because Jerry Jackass is watching YouTube on the machine you need.

It’s all a mess.

Enter the age of the home gym–A portal into the Narnia of fitness freedom.

But where on earth does one begin?

The more important question: How much will setting up a home gym cost?

Since we’re all about earning money and keeping it here at Big Money Methods, this will not break your bank.

Here’s what you’ll need to build a home gym on a budget.

Show Me the Money

There’s no doubt home gyms can be expensive.

We’ve seen some people go psycho with their home gym setups. A friend of mine spent over $50,000 setting up his home gym. $50K and counting…

The goal for you, dear reader, is to give you something much more affordable but equally effective.

Our budget: $1,000.

That’s right. I will illustrate how you can build a badass home gym for a grand.

And if I do my job correctly, ideally, it’ll be less.

Oh, and if you currently don’t have $1,000 to spend on your home gym, I suggest you stop reading and read the Big Money Methods articles on making more money.

But if you’re financially qualified, let’s break down your needs to build your home gym right from this article.

The Fab Five

You need only a few items to complete your home gym and accomplish your health and fitness goals. Five, to be exact.

They are:

-Olympic barbell
-Squat rack with a pull-up bar
-Weight plates (rubber or iron, depending on budget)
-Flat bench
-Jump rope

There’s more I could recommend, but these are the essentials.

When obtaining these foundational pieces of home gym equipment on a budget, you’ll want to buy effective items with various uses.

However, Purchasing on a budget does not mean buying cheaply made equipment.

Cheap equipment will cause dissatisfaction, less use, a higher likelihood of injury, a lower resale value, and a greater chance of having to purchase replacements.

Thankfully, more gym equipment (largely due to the growing garage gym community) is being purchased now than at any other time in history, so you can get incredibly good equipment at great prices.

Olympic Barbell

An Olympic barbell is critical for compound movements and will make up most of your lifts.

It’s important to have a high-quality barbell that will last you years. Do not settle for cheap-quality steal to save a few bucks.

The last thing you need is a barbell cracking, breaking, or snapping while you’re beneath it.

We suggest the Ohio Power Bar from Rogue.

The Squat Rack

The Squat Rack is the epicenter of any home gym.

It allows the user to do a myriad of exercises.

A great squat rack will allow you to feel safe during use, lasts an extremely long time, and, as your bank account increases, will offer various attachments to increase its versatility.

Here’s the rack we recommend.

You must get one with a pull-up bar. No exceptions.

Weighted Plates

Since you now have a barbell and a place to hang it, let’s load it up.

If you can afford iron plates, here are some good quality ones that won’t bankrupt you.

If you plan on doing more Olympic lifts, like snatch or clean and jerk, we suggest using bumper plates. Warning: these can get expensive. Only buy what you need.

Once again, it depends on your budget and your goals.

Flat Bench

Most people think of a flat bench and associate it with chest presses, either with a barbell or dumbbells.

That’s true but open your mind, grasshopper. Flat benches are far more versatile than that.

Your flat bench can be used for box jumps, box squats, rows, split squats, and more. A quality flat bench will provide a solid platform, be about 17” from the ground, and have a firm foam pad.

Here’s the one we recommend.

Jump Rope

The last piece of equipment you’ll need is for your conditioning.

Don’t laugh. This piece of hell is a killer regarding coordination and conditioning. The jump rope can be used for HIIT or long-term cardiovascular needs.

It’s easy to store and perfect for someone on a budget.

You can get jump ropes anywhere but go with this one if you’re shopping online.

Grab your jump rope here.

The Surprisingly Affordable Home Gym

Let’s tally up the total (I’ve rounded up):

Olympic barbell: $295
Squat Rack: $359
Weight Plates: $170
Flat Bench: $77
Jump Rope: $13

Total cost: $914

As you can see, it’s possible to build an affordable and effective home gym.

Yes, I went with cheaper options like the squat rack, but you’re on a budget, and I’m doing you a favor. You can upgrade over time once you upgrade your money game.

In the meantime, get the above items and take steps toward your goals.

The BMM Takeaway

If you haven’t learned yet, you’re about to.

Accomplishing your goals isn’t about the resources at your disposal. Yes, of course, that’s important. But success often requires resourcefulness.

Think of how many times you said to yourself,

“I can’t do that!”

“I can’t afford that!”

“It’s not possible!”

Really? Was that actually the case? Or did you take the situation at face value? Maybe you simply lacked some resourcefulness.
At the beginning of this article, I set a goal: Build a home gym for less than $1,000.

I did not think it was possible. However, I got us there with a little digging and some creativity.

With your creativity and resourcefulness, you can do more than you initially think. Don’t cut yourself short or close doors without exploring them yourself. That’ll always be a recipe for disaster.

Not to mention a choice that’ll leave you feeling regretful the next time you go to your gym with a thousand other people “getting in shape” (texting).

With the above home gym guide, you have no excuse not to accomplish your fitness goals at home.

Go get after it.