Take the Financial Stress Out of Mattress Shopping

A mattress is something that few people look forward to buying. Not only is the shopping experience often frustrating, but the price tags are enough to make many people feel financial stress and anxiety.

You may make excuses for your current mattress -- tattered, stained, bug-bitten, and in your possession since your adolescence. After all, it still works, right?

You should realize that a good mattress is more than a simple cushion to rest your tired body at night. A good mattress can greatly improve your quality of sleep, reduce aches and pains, and ensure you feel better when you wake up. It’s one of the most important purchases you will make in your adult life and one that could greatly impact your well-being.

In this guide, we aim to take the financial stress out of mattress shopping. These tips will help you get an affordable mattress that doesn't sacrifice quality with its lower price.

Can You Really Afford a New Mattress?

Millions of Americans are all too familiar with financial stress. Thanks to things like the high cost of healthcare, an abundance of low-paying job without good benefits, and student loan debt, 46% of Americans say they wouldn't be able to cover a $400 emergency expense. Larger purchases, such as buying a mattress, are likely to get put off, even if it means tossing and turning all night and waking up every morning with a sore back because your current mattress is in such bad shape.

There are a few reasons, however, why mattress shopping should move up on your list of priorities instead of being postponed indefinitely.

It’s not as expensive as you think.

It's true that some mattresses sell for upwards of $3,000. Here, however, you'll find that you can avoid such financial stress and instead, easily get an affordable mattress for under $1,000. For example, Nectar, Puffy, Lull, DreamCloud, and many other of the most recommended mattress brands on this site are available in Queen (and sometimes King) for under $1,000!

There may be certain health benefits.

Sleeping on an old mattress can damage your back, shoulders, and hips. It may be riddled with bacteria and dust mites, and provide little support for your body as you sleep. A new mattress can prevent this and potentially save you money in the long-term.

It can help with temperature control.

Modern mattresses have layers designed to optimize temperature control as you sleep.  For example, Nectar mattresses feature a breathable Tencel cover as well as a cooling gel foam layer. These types of features not only can help you achieve the best temperature for sleeping, but you may also be able to set your thermostat to a more affordable temperature range.

You’ll spend a lot of time on it.

Most people need a solid 8 hours of sleep each night. If you keep your mattress for 10 years, that’s over 3.3 years you’ll spend in bed! With that amount of time, it's worth it to make sure that you're sleeping on a good-quality mattress.

Many consumers forget how good a new mattress feels because they’re so used to their old one. They’re used to the aches and pains every morning and to the tossing and turning at night. They only realize what they’re missing out on when they spend the night at a hotel or friend’s house and experience a newer, more modern mattress built to provide proper support. A new mattress can make a massive difference to your nights and your days!

5 Mattress Shopping Tips for Big Savings

1. Buy Online

Have you heard the conspiracy about a certain mattress company and how they seem to have several stores in the same towns, often within a short drive of one another?

It led to claims that they were laundering money or committing some other nefarious acts. But it all boils down to one simple fact that many consumers overlook: Mattresses have a massive profit margin. These stores are able to flourish because they’re making a sizeable profit on a non-perishable big-ticket item.

Keep this in mind the next time you go mattress shopping online. The reason they always seem to be generous with their sales and offers is because they can afford to be. The prices start high so they can reduce them at a later date—this is the date you need to wait for.

Online retailers, on the other hand, have much lower costs than brick-and-mortar stores. They don't need to pay for multiple storefronts and salespeople. Instead, they rely on a website. These costs savings can be passed on to the consumer upfront, leading to incredibly competitive prices and huge savings.

2. Read Reviews

Don't purchase a mattress without reading reviews first to learn about it. Reviews can give you an inside look of what to expect from each mattress brand and make it easier to compare the different options available. Top 5 Mattresses features reviews of the most recommended mattress brands available, looking at everything from size and affordability, to trial periods, warranties and firmness. This is a great way to get a feel for a mattress from the perspective of a customer and a critic.

3. Look for Deals and Sales

Take advantage of deals and sales when you're ready to make a mattress purchase. Mattress discount codes and promotions are often available on this site's homepage. You'll find even bigger savings advertised during Labor Day, Cyber Monday, Memorial Day, and other dates commonly associated with sales.

4. Use the Trial Period

In addition to providing a substantial mattress discount and offering free shipping, the best online mattress retailers also offer a trial period. In a traditional store, you can try a mattress out for a few minutes, but you can’t do this online. Hence, online mattress brands usually offer a generous trial period.

With a sleep trial, you can try out a mattress over a long period time -- usually 100 days to 365 days. This gives you a chance to fully experience what it's like to sleep on the mattress in different seasons. If you decide the mattress isn't right for you after all, you can send it back to the brand. Most brands offer free refunds. This provides true peace of mind for consumers who may otherwise feel financial stress when making their mattress shopping decision.

5. Consider Mattress Financing

Mattress financing options are designed to make mattress shopping more affordable and more accessible. Many of the most recommended mattresses on this site offer mattress financing. This allows you to pay for your purchase over a period of time instead of all at once. Furthermore, there is often no interest to pay if the full balance is cleared within 6 or 12 months. For example, the Puffy mattress is available for as little as $25 per month on a 0% APR plan.

Conclusion

Mattress shopping doesn't have to be a major financial stress. There are many affordable mattress brands available online. Mattress financing with a 0% interest rate is a great way to pay for your mattress slowly over time instead of all at once. Finally, you can almost always find a fantastic mattress discount or two on sites like this one, and in particular, around major retail holidays like Labor Day. Take your time to read some of the many reviews on our site, and leave a comment if you have any questions!