Heart Rate Monitors

HRMs are more for steady rate cardio like running and swimming. I wouldn't use it for dvd workouts like Jillian Michaels, yoga, etc as they will most likely give you exaggerated burns.

Here is some technical info if interested:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1044313-this-is-why-hrms-have-limited-use-for-tracking-calories

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472

Hi there! I have been using this one from Polar for a few months, and I LOVE it!!! You can get it new for about $60
http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B00EKPXJTU/ref=olp_twister_child

It depends on what you define as "won't break the bank". I just bought a Wahoo Tickr and I'm not fully satisfied, but it was relatively inexpensive - $60. I'm not fully satisfied because I thought it would send the data to My Fitness Pal, and it doesn't. However, they did, just yesterday, improve their Android app so that it works quite a bit better for my chosen form of cardio exercise (Wii Zumba) than it did before. Before I had to choose between using Running, Cycling, or Indoor Cycling as the type of exercise, none of which fit at all. It's still not great, but at least now I feel like it is an improvement over the ~15 year old Polar XT I was borrowing from my mom. You do need a relatively new smart phone to use it - it doesn't come with a watch, it's just the chest band - so that is something else to consider.

For my money, if I had to choose between getting an activity tracker (I have a FitBit One) and a HRM, I'd go for the activity tracker first. It's not as precise, but it's usually fairly close to what the HRM says I've burned during cardio exercise, plus it gives me credit for all the other miscellaneous activity I get throughout the day, giving me an incentive to move more outside of my designated exercise sessions.

HRMs are more for steady rate cardio like running and swimming. I wouldn't use it for dvd workouts like Jillian Michaels, yoga, etc as they will most likely give you exaggerated burns.

Here is some technical info if interested:

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1044313-this-is-why-hrms-have-limited-use-for-tracking-calories

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/Azdak/view/the-real-facts-about-hrms-and-calories-what-you-need-to-know-before-purchasing-an-hrm-or-using-one-21472

^^This
What @Pikaknight said

I just purchased a Polar FT7 and it works great - about $100 US from Best Buy.
It is the only way to go with steady state cardio.

Walking, Running, Ellipitcal, Stationary biking, cycling, Stairmaster