What's the Best Time to Buy a Mattress?

Savvy shoppers never want to pay full price, whether they're making a big-ticket purchase or not; but overpaying is especially regrettable when it is a big-ticket item. And one of the worst situations is buying the product, then seeing it drop in price mere days or weeks later.

In lieu of a crystal ball, we have the inside track on when you should shop for these expensive products, including mattresses. If it's time to upgrade your bed, check out our guide below on the best times of year to buy a mattress.

What's the Best Time to Buy a Mattress?

Presidents' Day

Presidents' Day is really the first big sale period we see after the winter holidays, and it falls on the third Monday in February. It's an excellent time to shop for traditionally expensive items, including mattresses, large appliances, and furniture.

Watch for mattresses to be on sale at online mattress stores like Purple and Casper. Plus, select brands can see discounts on eBay, and even at home improvement stores like Home Depot. For instance, Purple knocked up to $700 off for Presidents' Day in 2022, while Casper cut up to $595 off. Mattress Firm via eBay offered an extra 15% off, which stacked with discounts that were previously as high as 87%. And Home Depot knocked up to 40% off select mattresses during its own celebratory event.

Memorial Day

Memorial Day is the unofficial kickoff to summer, and while you can shop deep discounts on clothing, large appliances, and furniture during the holiday sales, you can also rest assured that this is one of the best times to buy a new mattress. The holiday falls on the last Monday in May, but sales can start two or three weeks before that. That being said, the bulk of the sales fall during the holiday weekend itself.

Expect online stores like Purple to celebrate around Memorial Day with discounts of up to $450 off. We've also seen iconic brands like Tempur-Pedic take as much as an extra $500 off select sets for the holiday.

Watch the department stores, as well; Macy's has cut up to 70% off, for example. You can count on Kohl's almost certainly having a Memorial Day sale, too, which means you can shop for mattresses and stack the savings. Last year, the department store took between 20% and 50% off items, including mattresses, plus offered $10 off $25 and Kohl's Cash with every $25 purchase.

Independence Day (Sometimes)

You may find yourself encountering a lot of July 4th sales, but not a lot of selection when it comes to mattresses. Stores that only sell beds and bedding tend to have sales, and so do department stores. However, this summer holiday might not be the best time to purchase a mattress — it just depends on how the offers look.

SEE ALSO: What's the Best Time to Buy a Washer and Dryer?

Additionally, you may find that you need to keep an eye out all month long, rather than just around the holiday. For instance, last year Overstock.com offered Lucid mattresses from $102, but the sale didn't kick off until the day after Independence Day. And Macy's took up to 60% off select models and cut an extra 10% off brands like Sealy, Serta, and Beautyrest. Unfortunately, that sale didn't start until July 13. Macy's had another sale that month that knocked at least 40% off select queen-sized mattresses, plus an extra 10% off. But again, that sale kicked off much later than July 4 — in fact, it started around July 30.

Labor Day

Labor Day is another holiday featuring sales that begin long before the holiday itself, which falls on the first Monday in September every year. We usually see sales pop up as early as mid-August. That means if you're on the lookout for a new bed, you should start looking before September even begins.

In 2021, we saw one mattress sale start on August 19 at Tempur-Pedic, with discounts reaching up to $700 off. Even better, select sets came with a $300 instant credit for even more savings. Less than a week later, on August 25, Amerisleep kicked off its own sale with 30% off via a coupon code, and offered up to $239 in free accessories, as well. And finally, on August 31, Nectar started its sale; it took up to 33% off or $400 off mattresses, which came with $399 worth of accessories for free.

During Random Sales

Like with any other product, you can expect random sales and individual deals on mattresses throughout the year. Missing these promotions can be hugely disappointing, so we recommend signing up for newsletters from your favorite retailers. That way, you'll be one of the first to know when there's a sale, and that'll ensure you're able to shop before the selection sells out.

If you don't know of any retailers you want to keep a close eye on — or you can't stand the thought of more spam in your inbox — you can also create deal alerts. You can customize these to be as vague or specific as you want. When we list a deal that meets your parameters, you'll receive an email letting you know. If you have the DealNews app downloaded, you'll also receive a notification there, but either way, that means being able to jump on the deal before it sells out!

More Tips for Buying Mattresses

Find Sheets That Fit Well

Finding well-fitting sheets may seem like an easy task. After all, you just look for sheets that fit the size and depth of your mattress, right? Not quite. While it can be a good guideline, the truth is that a set of sheets that proclaim to fit 16"-thick mattresses could end up still being a bit of a stretch on your 14" one. And the last thing you want is to have to fight to change the sheets because they barely fit. Definitely check the specs and read the reviews to see if other users have noted any issues.

SEE ALSO: What It's REALLY Like to Buy a Mattress Online

You may even want to consider going for sheets that are bigger than your bed. Then you could employ a product like sheet suspenders, which can go under the mattress and help to pull sheets taut.

Read Reviews

As is the case with any big-ticket purchase, you'll want to read reviews before you buy a mattress. These are likely where you'll find out if a particular model sleeps hot, is too soft or too firm, or sinks after a short amount of time. Reading reviews beforehand can mean the difference between getting excellent sleep and having to deal with the hassle of returning a mattress that didn't meet your needs.

Learn About the Different Types

These days, you can typically find innerspring, memory foam, or even hybrid mattresses that combine the two features in some form. Before you buy a new bed, you need to know about the pros and cons of each of these types. This is especially important if you sleep in a particular position, like on your side or stomach. (Read about memory foam vs. innerspring mattresses here.) You'll also need to know if you require a box spring or slatted foundation, and if your current bed frame will support your new purchase. Take all of these elements into consideration before buying a mattress to ensure that you avoid buyer's remorse.

Ready to shop? Check out the best mattress deals available right now!