Photo by Sharon Vaknin/CNET

As an avid gym-goer and outdoor person who's dependent on her music and fitness apps, my phone has become my best workout buddy. (After all, it never flakes on me.)

I'm not alone, and for me and the many others who rely on their phones for fitness, storing our phones while breaking a sweat isn't always a simple task. Sure, you can shove it in your sports bra, stick it in your waistband, or just hold it in your hand, but come on -- that's gross.

Web sites like Amazon are chock-full of workout armbands for almost any smartphone, but they're pricey and the comfort of any given armband is hit or miss. So before you fork over $20-30 on an overpriced accessory, grab an old tube sock and see how well it performs as your trusty workout armband.

Here's what you'll need:

A tube sock, with an 8-inch or greater "tube"

Scissors

Needle and thread (optional)

Start by cutting the sock at the end of the tube section, where the foot begins, so that you have just the tube. Then, turn the sock inside-out and insert your arm so that the top of the sock is at the middle of your upper arm.

Finally, fold up the bottom of the tube so that it's right-side-out again, and meets the top of the tube, forming a pocket. Insert your phone and voila -- you have a comfy smartphone armband.

Optional: With the needle and thread, create a vertical stitch along the back of your armband to secure the sock in a permanent "pocket" position.