There is no escaping the fact: treadmills are expensive. Whilst we know that they are a worthwhile and useful piece of exercise equipment, many people struggle to be able to afford one.

But there is an affordable method of ownership that few people know about. Renting a treadmill is an ideal way to cut down on the costs of having your own high quality machine at home.

Instead of spending over $1000 on buying a machine you can have a top specification treadmill for a fixed monthly fee. This makes it easy to spread out your costs. And compared to a couple of people in the house having gym membership, you could well find that you save money by renting.

There are many advantages to renting in addition to cost. Some people just want a machine for a limited time. Maybe you are on a work placement in a new town, and you just want to keep you fitness levels. Or maybe you've just had kids and can't get to the gym at the moment but know that you'll have more time in the future.

Renting a treadmill also allows you to have a recent model and easily upgrade it when you feel the need. This is ideal for first time users who want to see how they get on with a treadmill without having to fork out a big stash of money upfront. If you like it you can upgrade to a better model. If you don't get on with it - send it back!

If you are in two minds about taking the plunge, why not consider renting a treadmill. You can find rental companies on the Net and in the Yellow Pages. If you live in a city there shouldn't be too much problem finding a supplier.