I'm trying to build some muscle but I don't have the time or money for a gym membership. Can I do exercises at home with dumbbells I already have and maybe some bodyweight stuff? How many days a week should I be training?
What really matters is training volume and progression, not where you do it. Three to four days a week is a good pace if you can keep it consistent - the key is putting more load on your muscles than last time, maybe by upping reps, weight, or cutting rest periods. Proper nutrition and recovery are just as crucial as the exercises themselves, so don't underestimate sleep and protein if you actually want to see results.
With the dumbbells you've already got, you're halfway there, honestly. Bodyweight alone lets you do tons of stuff: push-ups, pull-ups if you have a bar, squats, lunges. The thing is, it's not really about what equipment you use - it's about stressing the muscle with a load that forces you to work hard. If the dumbbells you have are heavy enough to make the last reps of a set difficult, that's perfectly fine. Ideally you'd alternate compound exercises (ones that work multiple muscles) with isolation work when you can: like dumbbells for shoulders and arms, push-ups for chest and triceps, bodyweight squats or dumbbell squats for legs.
For frequency, three or four days a week is a solid compromise, especially starting out. You don't need to kill yourself every day - actually, if you hit the same muscle group too often without proper recovery, you won't grow well and you risk injury. You could do one day for shoulders and arms, one for chest and back, one for legs, then repeat. Between sessions for the same muscle group, wait at least a couple days. The thing most people skip is eating enough and sleeping well - without that, your muscles won't grow even if your training is perfect.
The dumbbells you've got are already serious equipment, and honestly the gym isn't the only way to build muscle! The real secret is that muscles grow when you stress them progressively and when you eat enough protein. If you combine dumbbell exercises, bodyweight stuff like push-ups and pull-ups (if you can find a bar), and gradually increase the weight or reps over time, your body will respond.
For frequency, 3-4 days a week is already perfect! You don't need to train every day; actually, muscles grow during rest. Organize it like this: one day chest and shoulders, another day legs, one for back and arms, and maybe a fourth session if you want. Do 3-4 sets per exercise, between 8 and 12 reps, and focus on form. What's essential is that you eat enough (especially protein) and sleep well, otherwise all your training for the week won't do much!
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