So you're a busy real estate agent let's say, maybe trying to sell a townhouse and you're thinking you'd like to try going to a gym. The only question is, do you set one up at home or try out the local club gym? Home gyms and club gyms each have their benefits and drawbacks. Some people swear by club gyms, others shrink away from the idea of sweating in pubic. Both require a significant monetary commitment, so before you pay for one or the other, you want to be sure you'll stick with it. In order to figure out which one would be best for you, ask yourself these simple questions.

Are you a Social Butterfly or a Loner?

People who enjoy the company of other people often prefer a club gym where they can interact with other patrons. Club gyms offer social networking opportunities and the chance to motivate yourself by competing with others, which might nice for someone who spends their day primarily alone. Home gyms offer privacy and let you work out at your own pace. Chances are you know whether you're a people person or not, but if you don't, look at your job. If you're a computer programmer for Microsoft or a office admin working in a cubicle all day long and loving it, you're an introvert. If you're an office receptionist or a retail sales clerk, where you work with people all day long and you like it, you're a people person.

How much time do you have to spare for a workout?

If you're pressed for time between closing homes or filing papers, and making dinner for the kids, every minute of your day counts. Although it is possible to save time by joining the gym near your office and working out at lunchtime or when you get off work, chances are that a lot of other people will have this same idea and the gym could be very busy. You may have to wait a significant amount of time for a turn on the machine. In this case your best option would be a home gym, where you wouldn't have any competition for the equipment and you would only have to travel to another room to use it.

Rent or buy?

No, we're not talking about homes vs apartments for rent. The size of your place actually doesn't matter, since machines come in all sizes. In setting up a home gym you will be buying your equipment outright, which may take a sizable sum if you want a weight machine or fancy treadmill. By going to a gym you pay a monthly or daily fee depending on your plan, effectively paying the gym rent to use their machines. If you're a long haul driver delivering septic tank trucks, it would make more sense to buy day passes to the gym in whatever town you happen to be in that day. However, if you have the same routine each day, it is more economical in the long run to purchase your own machine.