Home Gym Equipment

smantha32

weight bench with free weights and leg extension attachment.
elliptical
treadmill
bowflex tread climber maybe
roman chair

deminimis

I believe the most bang for the buck is a combo pull up, dip, leg lift station. A quality new unit will set you back approx $400. That will go a long, long way in building upper body strength. If unable to do full ("Marine") pull ups and/or dips, then Rubberbantz(s) help you do the exercises and progress (eventually you won't need the Rubberbantz). If you get so fit that your own body weight ain't cutting it, then you can add a dip belt and dangle plates from the belt. For legs, then a jump rope if your knees can take the punishment or an elliptical (or whatever). With just that simple equipment, you can get a heck of a workout and, most likely, as fit as you could ever want.

Of course, I didn't follow my own advice and ended up with a complete commercial universal (Paramount) gym (with pull up, dip and roman chair, of course), assorted benches, attachments, bars and plates, and, finally, a commercial Precor elliptical. In reality, the Precor and a pull up/dip combo is all I really need.