So I work 40 hours a week and am taking 14 credits at school. I work out 6 times a week, but only because I can do it at home. I wouldn't have any time for it at all if I had to work out at a gym. To me, the benefit is I control the temperature and whats on the TV. Plus, I don't have to be distracted or self conscious about the hot chick that just took the machine next to me.
So I was using the website
www.homeworkoutguide.com. It was great. It had 16 weeks of work-outs that some dude supposedly did to go from being in the kind of shape I was (almost same weight and height, but he is Asian and therefore has an advantage) and got down to having cut arms, 6-pack abs, and all that. I think they sold out to another company who now sells work-out products. I didn't have delusions about trying to look like that guy, but he had a good program and videos showing how he did the exercises so that I could really observe technique.
I now use
www.iwantsixpackabs.com as my source. Pretty much the same kind of deal, but a different guy doing it. The only difference is he wants you to sign up for his e-mail list before he gives you the back-door URL for his website where all the guides/videos are (no login required).
The whole setup I use is:
Home resistance band set: $100
Weight bar: $20
70 pounds of weights: Have had them for years.
Exercise ball: Wife already had one
Pull-up bar: $30
So for about a year's worth of gym membership, I have the tools to get a fairly good workout at home. I've been slacking on my eating habits, but I'm still under 170 (I'm 5'9") and have been for at least 4 months now. I do strength training 3 days a week and cardio the other 3 days. We have a treadmill upstairs, but its mostly my wife that uses it. I prefer to do my running outside, even when its freezing cold.
I finally feel like I'm on a fitness program I can maintain indefinitely. It doesn't require continuous payments nor additional time getting to/from the place of exercise.