How To Buy A Bed

Mattress Price

When it comes to your mattress purchase, you get what you pay for.

"I experienced a little sticker shock after my first visit to a mattress store. I appreciate you giving me a better perspective on what I am getting for my money" -- Hank - Richmond, VA

I'm not paying that much for a mattress! - People are always shocked at mattress prices. That is not so surprising. If you shop for a mattress every 10 years, you will be shocked. The industry doesn't help by continually offering garbage in their advertising. Customers see an ad for a $199 queen set and come in expecting it to be a 17" pillowtop. Instead, its innersprings and a butt ugly cover. It might be the very best $199 mattress on the market, but nobody can sleep on it comfortably.

Junk advertised this way is known as a loss leader - a very low quality product offered at or below cost to drive traffic. Unfortunately, this only angers customers who now have unrealistic expectations for what mattresses should cost.

Mattresses will always increase in price. What you pay for a car, house, funeral or hundreds of other products and services has also gone up in the last 10 years.

Mattresses are manufactured in the United States so labor costs, government regulation and liability have driven costs up over the years. Oil and steel are the two primary raw ingredients used to make mattresses. Guess what? Both of those have gone up in recent years.

Here is another angle to consider. No activity will improve your health more than a comfortable 6-8 hours of sleep. The body requires sleep to relax the mind, reduce stress and heal the body. We spend billions in this country on prescriptions, doctors, therapists and other self-help gurus, all in an attempt to improve our health and well-being. But when it comes to the one investment that would have the most dramatic effect on our health, a mattress, we balk at spending any money at all.

I'm not suggesting spending a small fortune on a mattress. But spend enough to get a mattress that will deliver 7-10 years (minimum) comfortable sleep. When you think about it, a mattress has the best return on investment of any medical expense.

$1000 mattress/3650 (10 years) = $0.28 per night.

You will pay a heck of a lot more than 28 cents a night at a nice hotel!

What Should I Pay for a good mattress? - This is the million dollar question. You need to invest enough to sleep comfortably for the next 7-10 years. The mattress may perform 15-20 years for you. But keep in mind, in ten years your body and your needs may change drastically.

While I can't tell you how much you will pay for your mattress solution, to get a good quality mattress set, budget at least these amounts:

King - $1,200
Queen - $800
Full - $800
Twin - $600*

*You can certainly find twin sets for less. This is assuming you are buying for an adult who is sleeping on the bed every night. For small children with minimal needs, that number might go down significantly. But do spend enough to keep your children supported and comfortable. A good night sleep will improve their health, well-being and performance in school.

How To Buy A Mattress - The Basics
Size - Selection - Price - Purchase - Accessories - Services

Mattress Articles
Stupid Mattress Sales Gimmicks - The Ten Commandments of Guest Beds 
Finding a GOOD Mattress Salesperson - How To Be a Good Mattress Customer
Ten Things I Would Change About the Mattress Industry - Mattress Toppers

Do you have an interesting comment or question? Drop me an email and let me know!

How To Buy A Mattress - The Basics
Size - Selection - Price - Purchase - Accessories - Services

 

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