Getting in shape this year needn’t require a gym membership. A reader over at the New York Times Bucks Blog sent in info and pictures about the home gym he built almost entirely from equipment scavenged off Craigslist.

Here’s the gear he picked up:

$175 stair machine
$145 weight bench with hex dumbbells
$450 treadmill they upgraded with laptop stand
$15 exercise bike

For people looking to jump in, he recommends that you don’t try to do it all at once.

First figure out what equipment you want to get and how much it’s worth. Check in to Craigslist on a regular basis to get a feel for where the market is at. Some of the better stuff may be harder to get because more people are after it so be patient and only buy when you’re getting a good deal.

Most people’s New Year’s Resolutions are dead by February, so now is a good time to start looking as people start to offload the equipment they bought hoping to get in shape.

The Craigslist Gym [bucks.blog.nytimes] (Thanks to Howard!)

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