Shopping for a new mattress can be stressful and time consuming. It’s often a big ticket item that needs to be budgeted and planned for, and many brands recommend replacement after 10 years or so. We all probably have different ideas of how to shop for a mattress, even between the two people that may be sharing one 🙂 We let our last mattress go almost 15 years before replacing, and when the time came, we went to numerous stores to test out every brand and option available. We knew we’d be keeping it for many years to come, and after several years of complaining that we needed to replace the old one, we wanted one that was super comfortable for both of us, and had some specific criteria we wanted.
We quickly realized that there are many mattress brands available! Did we want to go with a name brand, or a less expensive furniture store brand that was comparable? How well does Memory Foam really hold up? What about an adjustable bed? Soft or firm? I can’t tell you how many mattresses we laid on. I sleep on my stomach or side, he sleeps on his back. How in the world do you find something that works well for both?! Add in that I have an auto immune issue, and sometimes I twitch and move around in my sleep, and we need something with stability, so the person on the other side of the bed doesn’t get disturbed while I move around. I also have back problems, so I read several articles on what type of mattress would be good for back pain issues. If this applies to you as well, check out this post from Spine-Health with tips on buying a mattress before you shop.
We ultimately decided on a memory foam mattress, and it’s great! It’s dual sided, so one side is soft, the other firm. It was significantly taller than the older one, due to the thickness of the foam pad, and since I am so short, there was a learning process to figure out how to get in it each night 🙂 It’s been great for my back pain, and I’m waking up refreshed each morning.
If you’re a long time reader, you know I am a “budgeter”. I took notes as we shopped, and made a spreadsheet of all the brands and their cost. I have an average price for a new mattress, and divided it out over 10 years. For example, if a new mattress is $1200, we will need to set earmark $120 per year in our savings account, or $12 per month, so we have that amount available should we need to replace it in 10 years. If it lasts longer, we can save for a “higher” quality mattress, or free that money up to apply to another category. We like paying cash for things, and budgeting for big ticket items monthly, in advance, is the best way we’ve found to make sure we are prepared when the time comes to purchase these items.
What features are important to you when shopping for a mattress?
Sherry Compton says
Great way of figuring up cost and making sure you can afford it. Price is a big thing for me too when shopping. I need to make sure it won’t cut me short and that I can replace the money. IT is so hard to tell with mattresses laying on them at the store is different than sleeping at home. I have heard good things about memory foam, and I hope it works well for you.
Jenn says
We are long overdue for a new mattress, and we are definitely considering a memory foam!
Stephanie Olmsted says
Thanks for the break down in price. We will need a new mattress in a few years.
Rosie says
I only know I want to be comfortable. I never considered a memory foam mattress, and had no idea you could have dual sides – need to keep it in mind!