Want to tone your limbs without having to go through round after round of rigorous exercises? You only need one machine to fill the job, and once you have it at home, you don't need to go to the gym just to get it! Your elliptical trainer is your best buddy when it comes to getting a full body workout. Consider saving up for one at home!

Getting an elliptical trainer for your home will prove to be a great long-term investment. Not only will you save on the workout fees and the regular commute to your friendly neighborhood gym, you'll be allowing the rest of your family to enjoy a full body workout too, and for free! Good health is a treasure for a family; something that's worth spending for.

And since health is a long-term investment, you have to be prepared to shell out the right amount of cash. The first thing you have to remember is that quality doesn't come cheap. But don't let this scare you - there are budget exercise equipment out for sale, affordable compared to the deluxe machines that frankly, only celebrities, highly paid computer programmers, or CEOs have the money to buy.

Some training machines cost thousands of dollars... but what if you only have a few hundred dollars on you? Well then, you should try out models like the Pro Form 700S - excellent quality for a great deal. Cheaper trainers are available of course, but be warned: they may not be as durable or effective as brands that have been tried and tested.

Do your research before going out to buy. Consumer ranking sites like Amazon and Epinions are among the best places to start reading up. Salespeople can talk your ears off about how certain models will get you your money's worth (and have you noticed how they always point you back to the most expensive "full-featured" brands?) but only other buyers can tell you the most affordable and best-featured machines to suit your specific needs.

If you're on a very tight budget, and don't really need it for medical purposes, you could forego features like the heart rate monitor and computer compatibility. There are some machines that can be hooked up to your computer, and subsequently they can connect you to good workout classes through the Internet... but do you really need that? The only thing a good elliptical trainer should provide you is a healthy round of exercise.