Ready to get in shape but low on cash?

You don’t have to join an expensive gym or buy the latest gadget on QVC to trim down and buff up. You can create plenty of workouts for free and actually save money in some parts of your budget.

Lounge surveyed local pros for cheap ideas in three key aspects of getting in shape: strength training, aerobic exercise and diet.

Strength training

• Can’t afford a set of weights? Lift cans of soup or water bottles, says Dee Schultz, personal trainer and owner of Body Work Therapy. If cans are too light, you can fill old milk jugs with water.

• Rent (rather than buy) workout videos, Schultz says. Borrow them from the library, too.

• Exercise resistance bands are a cheap alternative to buying weight sets, Schultz says. With prices between $7 and $20, short and long tubes from TKO, Nike and Thera-Band offer myriad workout variations and last years. Gray and black color-coded bands will challenge men, too.

• Use your own body’s resistance. You can do curls, Schultz says, by pushing down with your left hand on the palm of your right hand as you curl upward using your right bicep.

• If you have a little bit of money, Schultz recommends a small dumbbell tree ($18 to $25) and an inflatable flex ball ($18 to $32). Women will want a rack with 5-, 8- and 10-pound dumbbells. Men can start with the 10-, 12-, and 15-pound set. Men and woman can use the exercise ball to work their abs, chests and lower back. But make sure to get the right ball for your height, she says. The inflated ball should come to the top of your thigh when you’re standing next to it.

Aerobic exercise

• Impromptu pickup games in a park are free. Ultimate Frisbee and soccer are popular at Patriot’s Park, says Charlie Beale, recreation manager for Columbia County.

• Joining a rec league sport gives you a routine and the kind of human interaction that helps you stick with exercise. Available even to those who aren’t affiliated with a company or church team, Richmond County offers open leagues for volleyball, softball, baseball, football and basketball for adults. The softball league in Columbia County typically costs about $30 per person for a season that includes two games a week, Beale says.

• Disc golf at Patriot’s Park is free. “It’s great exercise; you walk 18 holes,” Beale says.

• Dancing is a great cardio workout, Schultz says. Bust a move in your living room or try the free salsa lessons offered at Tropicana Latin Night Club

• Running or walking – you can’t beat these old standbys for cheapness or effectiveness. However, make sure to invest in proper shoes, says Schultz. No Keds here – you need something with orthopedic support. Expect to spend at least $50 on this essential equipment.

• Play Flo Jo at a local outdoor track. Some are freely accessible, such as those at the Y’s on Wheeler and Tubman roads.

• Bored by walking or running in circles? Try a cross country run. Eisenhower Park and others have trails with rivers, flora and fauna to distract you while you punish your body. Careful careening over tree roots!

• Stair climbing machines can cost thousands. Stadium steps are free. The downtown amphitheater rewards with a view the Savannah River every time you sprint up its steps. Isn’t that more attractive than staring a T.V. or book while trudging on a stair climber?

• If you just want a pool, swimming at the Augusta Aquatic Center can be cheaper than joining a gym. A visit is $2 for students and $4 for adults (cheaper if you opt for a 12-visit pass or a quarterly or annual membership). The county also opens three outdoor pools in the summer, charging a buck for students and two bucks for adults.

• Still want a gym for those elliptical trainers? The Family Y has six locations with memberships ranging from $32 to nothing a month! “We turn no one away because they are unable to pay,” says Millie Schumacher, community relations director for the non-profit. Scholarships are available.

Diet

• Eat better and save money. Cut out the cost of eating out by making a big vegetable soup that will last days, says Kirsten Jaskulsky, registered dietician with Medical College of Georgia Health System.

• If you can’t afford fresh fruits and vegetables, try frozen, Jaskulsky says. They are cheaper. But avoid those with added sugar, such as some types of frozen strawberries.

• Avoid high fructose corn syrup, a ubiquitous ingredient that adds empty calories in the processed foods that often occupy the middle of a grocery store.

• When you need fast or convenient food, opt for frozen meals rather that fast food. Entrees such as Lean Cuisine and Healthy Choice are usually cheaper than eating out and still save time, Jaskulsky says.

• Pay attention to portions. For meat, three to four ounces (a cut about the size of your palm) is enough, says Jaskulsky. Starches such as mac and cheese, rice or potatoes should be limited to about half a cup. One exception to the moderation rule of thumb: veggies. They are low fat, so pig out on them.