If joining a fitness center is not for you, and you're not the outdoors-y type, home exercise equipment is a smart choice for staying fit. Before you buy, you should do your homework in order to prevent your new exercise machine from becoming an over-sized clothes hanger.

Before you spend your money, first consider your current exercise routine (if any). Variety in an exercise plan tends to keep you from getting bored and provides a good route to overall fitness. With this in mind, consider a fitness machine that provides a different type of benefit to what you are already doing or plan to do.

For example, if you walk 3 times a week, you may want to consider home exercise equipment that offers resistance training, such as a home gym.

Be wary of "fad" equipment and always check for a warranty. Anything that sounds too good to be true, usually is. You want to try to find home exercise equipment that works your whole body or major portions of your body for the best results.

Decide where your home exercise equipment will be located in your home and take measurements. You want to be sure the machine you are considering will fit the space you have available.

Think also about your budget. Home exercise equipment prices can range from as low as $100 to into the thousands. The high end models are terrific and offer a lot of bells and whistles, but you can generally get a good workout and decent quality by spending a few to several hundred dollars.

A good strategy is to spend most of your budget on one quality piece, such as an exercise bike or home gym, then supplement it with inexpensive equipment such as dumbbells or aerobics videos.