Author Topic: Life of a Mattress and Financing  (Read 3084 times)

BTDretire

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Life of a Mattress and Financing
« on: July 05, 2016, 04:05:50 PM »
I just heard an advertisement for a mattress sale company.
They say the recommended time to keep a mattress is 8 years.
So, they just happen to have an 8 year financing plan to pay for your new mattress.
Now you know when you run out of mattress payments, it's time finance
a new one! For the next 8 years.  :-)

TheGrimSqueaker

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Re: Life of a Mattress and Financing
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2016, 04:25:58 PM »
Dust mites are real, but I don't believe that mattresses fill up with them. I can't help but notice that all these estimates of when a mattress "should" be replaced are coming from mattress manufacturers and sellers. Instead of our usual grain of salt, we will need one of those gigantic blocks that farmers put out for their cattle.

mtn

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Re: Life of a Mattress and Financing
« Reply #2 on: July 07, 2016, 10:10:35 AM »
I've had a mattress last 90 days--paid $6 for it. Air mattress. Great mattress, until it leaked.

Next mattress was really cheap, because I needed it to last for about a year only before I'd be throwing it away. It lasted a year, but the last month or two it was a seriously uncomfortable mattress. I think I paid $250 and sold it for $50.

Our current mattress we paid about $500 for (full) at Costco. It's alright. Will be relegated to a guest room very soon. 

My next mattress will probably be an Ikea futon mattress if it comes big enough and I can convince my wife that it is "ok" to do that. She had it for about a year and we still sleep on it when we visit friends. It is extremely comfortable.

deadlymonkey

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Re: Life of a Mattress and Financing
« Reply #3 on: July 07, 2016, 10:18:40 AM »
mattresses do fill up with skin cells, dust and other debris.  Take a new mattress and one you have slept on for years and check out the weight difference.  It is noticeable.  All of my mattresses have lasted longer than 8 years though.  It is smart though to enclose your mattress in a cover.  Stops stuff from getting into the mattress and protects against spill for when you may or may not be drinking wine in bed or something.

Kaydedid

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Re: Life of a Mattress and Financing
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2016, 10:32:03 AM »
For those of us with allergies, covers are essential.  My childhood mattress was 20 years old, and looked brand new.  Firm mattresses without pillowtops seem to hold up the longest (you can put a topper on if you want softer - much cheaper to replace than the whole mattress).  I've heard that firm is better for back issues and joint support (never slept on soft myself).

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Tjat

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Re: Life of a Mattress and Financing
« Reply #5 on: July 07, 2016, 11:03:11 AM »
Along with financing, all major mattress manufacturers have the unique skill of taking a weakness and marketing is a strength. Keep in mind that the next mattress that brags about having 12 layers of 1/2 foams (now filled with dehydrated unicorn blood!) is really just telling you that they could make 6 inches of foam cheaper with 12 pieces than one, yet still have an MSRP 300% above cost. Mainstream mattresses are designed to be comfortable in the showroom, but deteriorate within a year or two in the home.

mustachepungoeshere

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Re: Life of a Mattress and Financing
« Reply #6 on: July 07, 2016, 05:43:33 PM »
An Australian news outlet recently investigated mattress pricing.

Quote
... mattress manufacturers are working closely with retailers to ensure shoppers cannot comparison shop for mattresses – by selling essentially identical beds under different names, and ensuring competing stores' mattresses have different names.

Quote
... even if you buy a bed on sale, the margins are still huge, says former GM Wilson. In addition to marking a bed up 240 to 300 per cent, the retailer gets a "rebate" from the manufacturer for each sale – about 12 per cent of the sale price.

http://www.smh.com.au/business/mattress-comparison-reveals-bedding-retailers-padding-costs-of-manufacturing-20160610-gpgeog.html

Papa Mustache

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Re: Life of a Mattress and Financing
« Reply #7 on: July 08, 2016, 07:59:42 AM »
marketing things under different names is done by dozens of brands in the USA. Just about everything sold by the Sears tool department is made by another company and branded for Sears. GM has done that for decades with their vehicles. Yeah, I hate it too.

Sometimes you can use the Internet to tease out the mystery and go right to the source brand of something and get it for less or for the same price but with a better warranty.

I just found that out about a tool I recently bought is sold by one retailer at a rock bottom price with a 90 day warranty and also by a brand with a better rep but a lifetime warranty at a somewhat higher price. I don't think I'll break the tool so it probably doesn't matter.

Good discussion b/c we need to buy a mattress.