The Best Time To Buy a Mattress: Shop Smart and Save Big! Our e-mail newsletter shares the latest programs and initiatives Consumer Reports will not sell or rent your email address to third parties. See our Privacy Policy.Do you need to replace your mattress and wonder if there is a better time of the year to buy one? It's worth considering since it's rare to have a mattress-breakdown emergency. Instead, you start thinking you might sleep better on a new mattress, especially if yours is years beyond its warranty. Usually, you consider it because you are moving or adding a bed to your household. If you check the ads, you see that mattresses are constantly on sale, so you don't have to look hard to find what purports to be a deal. Just remember: mattress prices are negotiable. Ask for a better deal, and you're likely to get it. That said, there really is a better time to find real deals on mattresses.May is the best month to buy a new mattress at a mattress showroom.
The industry rolls out its new models in June through September, so they want to clear out the older models in May. Memorial Day weekend may be the best time to get a great deal, as it combines the month of May with another peculiar sales time for mattresses - holiday weekends.Retailers tend to have good mattress deals on the long weekends of national holidays - President's Day, the Fourth of July, Labor Day. You might even snag good deals on bedding at the same time at January white sales around Martin Luther King Day weekend.If you are going to shop online for a mattress, you won't be able to lie down on it and try it out. It pays to use the online sites for comparison shopping on the models you liked best in the showroom. You can use online sites to check the prices you see at retailers and get a good sense of what an actual discount price may be. Also, consider that you won't be able to negotiate a better deal as you can in a showroom, the stated price is the final price. If you find a better deal online, check the delivery details and return policy and conditions to make sure that all of the possible fees add up for real savings.
Buying a Used MattressUnlike used appliances, buying a used mattress isn't often the best idea. You'll see mattresses included in many lists of things never to buy used. The big reason is bed bugs, which seem to be more and more common. You don't want them in your home, period. The second reason is that mattresses don't last forever. If you need a cheap substitute rather than a new mattress, consider a foam pad or air pillow mattress until you can afford a new one.Do Your Research and Prepare to HaggleIf you don't have an emergency need for a mattress, spend the time to determine what kind of mattress you want and how much you are prepared to spend. If you are buying at a retailer or showroom, negotiating is expected, and you will save by offering less than the sticker price. You won't have this option at a warehouse or membership store or online, so consider that when comparing prices.Prices go up and down all the time. "Supply, demand, the price of raw materials, the price of gas, location, the economy — it all affects product pricing," explains Yahoo tech columnist David Pogue in his 2016 book, "Pogue's Basics: Money."
While that's entirely out of your control, what you can control is when you shop. "In certain industries, the prices for products always drop at certain times of year, like clockwork," Pogue writes. He provides a cheat sheet for the best time to buy just about everything, from electronics to gym memberships. Here, we've highlighted 17 essentials and the best month of the year to buy them. After the holidays and when New Year's resolutions are still in force, stores will start to lure customers in with sales, Pogue writes. Expect "huge deals, from 30 to 70 percent off." "Sales on sailings usually arrive in January and February, when people are booking their spring break and summer cruises," Pogue explains. If you're planning a holiday cruise, look for another round of sales in October, he writes. Specifically, camera shop over President's Day weekend, Pogue says: "New models usually debut in February, so you can count on big discounts on last year's models on Presidents' Day weekend."
Right after Valentine's Day, you can find even the fancy stuff cheap, Pogue says. New luggage styles arrive in March in anticipation for summer travel, so you can find great deals on last year's suitcases. Plus, with Spring Break coming up, it's the perfect time to snag a new duffel. "In August, another round of price cuts settles in, since people are pretty much finished with their summer travels," Pogue writes. Graduation and wedding seasons are fast approaching, meaning you'll find good deals on kitchen supplies — particularly over Memorial Day weekend, Pogue notes. Memorial Day mattress sales are a real thing, Pogue explains: "The entire industry blows out last year's models over Memorial Day, so watch for crazy sales in May." If you miss out on this specific weekend, don't stress — more sales will come around over the weekends of July 4 and Labor Day. "The best deals, logically enough, sprout in June," writes Pogue. "That's when demand is lowest, as people head outdoors for physical activity."
Valentine's Day is long gone, and there are no gift-giving holidays around the corner to boost stores' sales. Capitalize on the lull. You could even knock out a few Christmas gifts and have one less thing to worry about when the hectic holiday season rolls around. Swim season is officially over and stores don't want shelves of swimwear that no one is going to buy, Pogue says. Snag them on clearance now … or pay much more right before heading out on a spring trip. Take advantage of giant price cuts on outdoor essentials in August, advises Pogue: "The summer's over, and so is demand for this stuff. Look for another rash of sales in October, too." If you're in the market for a new computer, wait until the back-to-school rush is over and buy one in September, Pogue advises. He also notes that there will be more discounts in November, on Black Friday and Cyber Monday. If you need a new ride, you'll get the best deal in September, says Pogue. It's the start of the model year and dealerships will be eager to clear last year's inventory.