Sleep On It: Buying Bed Mattresses

Few things are more personal or have a more lasting impact than buying your own bed. It is a large undertaking with many considerations. If you find yourself in the market for a new bed, don't just rush to the store and buy the first one you see!

Firstly, and perhaps most importantly, you must understand what makes you comfortable. If you've slept on hard mattresses all your life, you may think that's what you like. Try the ultra-soft pillow top, just to make sure. You may surprise yourself.

But make sure you try out mattresses extensively before you even go to the store. Sleep over at a friend's house, if you know they have a different mattress than you. When you go on vacation, think about how you sleep. Lying down for a few moments on a show room floor is awkward and brief; you will not have the time or the right degree of relaxation to fully understand if you like a mattress.

So you want to save some money on your mattress? Great. But remember that all mattresses are expensive--you might want to save up for a costlier one (in between $500 and $5,000) and have the benefit of its comfort and longevity. Cheaper mattresses are cheaper because they are not as well-made. They will sag much more quickly and may cause back problems. Why buy a mattress you'll just have to replace?

Note the size of the bed, too. If you share a bed, how much space do you each require? Ask the salesperson to use a tape measure on the display mattresses to show you the difference between what is before you and the other mattress sizes. You may be surprised by how little or how much of a difference there actually is.

Make sure you know what you want; is the extra few hundred dollars really worth a few extra inches in mattress width? For some, it's a pointless expenditure. For others, it makes all the difference in the world.