Specific equipment suggestions

Not a huge fan of smith's, expensive to get a decent one of any quality, not good as a primary piece of equipment imo, building up the stabilizer muscles is hugely important in proper muscle and form development. I've used all those powerblock, select tech, adjustable crap dumbbells. If you're going to be incorporating dumbbell work in your workouts (great choice imo esp if working out alone), buy a decent oly set with good clips and a bunch of tens and fives, good quality weight (yorks are my favorite)- you get the benefits of adjustability AND don't feel like you're curling giant, misshapen cinder blocks. Throw in a decent half rack, a good FID bench, a good OLY bar (texas power) with a few 45s, 35s, 25s, and a bunch of 10s and 5s and you're good to go in the strength department. Get a good, heavy weight tree too. Throw in a nice, high incline treadmill or a good rower and you're all set for on the cardio side as well. Keep your eyes peeled in the local paper for a gym going out of business (they're everywhere), show up with a truck one the first day of their fire sale and get it all in one stop for about 1500. Remember, quality is key. Better to buy used good stuff rather than new cheap crap when it comes to fitness equipment; it'll last forever and you'll save money bc you won't have to deal with the regret a couple of years from now when you realize all your equipment is crap, unloading it for a quarter on the dollar and have to deal with getting all new equipment.