Do You Need a New Mattress? Start Here

When it comes time for you to purchase a new mattress, you already know going in that you’re about to spend a good chunk of change to get something comfortable and long-lasting. However, that doesn’t mean that you should blow as much cash on a mattress as you can to get the best one. On the contrary, you should be taking as many steps as you can to save your hard-earned money and still find something that is perfect for you. What are some of the best tips for buying a mattress, especially when you don’t want to break the bank replacing your old one?

What Size Do You Need?

It sounds so basic, but it’s an important question. This is where you think about the mattress itself and how it will be used. Spending too much on something unusable is silly and impractical, so measure ahead of time to be certain it will fit.

• How big is the room? How much do you have space for?
• Do you have a sleeping partner? Would a queen or a king-sized mattress comfortably house the both of you?
• Who will be the primary user of this mattress? Is it going in a guest room, for example, or is it yours? Can you only fit a full-sized bed or do you have room for a twin bed or two?

If you need a little cheat sheet, here are the dimensions for the four most common bed sizes:

• King: 76 x 80 inches
• Queen: 60 x 80 inches
• Full: 53 x 75 inches
• Twin: 38 x 75 inches

Consider More Than Hardness and Softness

Buying a mattress is truly an investment, and if it’s a good-quality mattress then it will last you for at least a decade. This means that, while it needs to be comfortable first and foremost, it also needs to fit your needs. If you’re wondering “What needs could I possibly need but comfort?,” consider the following:

• Do you suffer from allergies, seasonal or otherwise? Waking up with the sniffles might indicate that your mattress has collected a fair amount of dust mites and excess skin flakes. Memory foam might be a good option for you beyond its cradling comfort; it also repels dust mites, making for a more hygienic choice.
• If you have acid reflux or another gastrointestinal condition, then you already know that sleeping with your head propped up can alleviate the worst of your symptoms. Adding on a mechanism that raises the head of your mattress might be a benefit for you to help feel better and ease your discomfort.
• What kind of condition is your back in? Your mattress has a direct impact on your spine’s health since you lie on it for at least eight hours at a time, so the materials that it is made out of matter more than you might think. Innerspring mattresses are likely the ones that you’re the most familiar with: Traditional metal coils that squeak when you roll over. These are affordable and still common, but they are not durable and tend to break over time. Moreover, the springs popping out at weird angles can seriously injure your back, making it a bad choice if you aren’t in very good spine health.

Compare Prices

It can be a day-long endeavor to find the right mattress for you. Comparing prices means going to many different stores and testing the merchandise: Lying down on different models, asking the associates as many questions as you might have and most importantly, noting the price of the models you’re the most interested in. Use your phone to snap pictures of the price tags including the model number so that when you head to the next store, you can see what their prices are like in comparison.
Consider Financing Options

How are you going to pay for this dreamy cloud that you’ve been testing in the store? Expect to spend anywhere from $1,000 to $1,200 on a good-quality mattress. If you have cash, then fantastic! You’re that much closer to a better night’s sleep. If not, however, ask the sales associate about other options like in-store lines of credit. This means opening a credit card with the store and using your store credit to finance the mattress. You may or may not need to put down a deposit, but either way expect to pay interest on your transaction. This is where it’s a great idea to remind you to always read the fine print on anything you sign.

At the End of the Night, You’re Getting a Better Sleep

All of your hard work researching and getting financing in order is so worth it the first night you sleep on your new mattress. Its softness and sheer superiority over the old one makes it feel like a luxury mattress no matter how much money you spent on it. It can take some serious dedication to find a great deal on a fantastic mattress, but you’ll never regret doing it.