Best Time To Buy A Mattress in 2024

Buying a mattress in 2024 is no longer the same type of hassle that it was decades ago. You don't have to go into a physical store to try out models anymore and subject yourself to hard-sell tactics. Now, you can simply order your mattress online and have it delivered to your door -- you don't even have to pay for white glove delivery to take it to your bedroom as many mattresses these days arrive vacuum-packed in a box that's easy for most adults to manage. 

However, the fact that beds have multiple convenient ways to purchase can also make it a bit more difficult to find mattresses on sale in a significant way. Fortunately, we have the info on the best time to buy a mattress in 2024 to help you find the perfect bed for your needs without breaking the bank.

When Should I Replace My Mattress?

Most often you'll hear that you should replace your mattress every 7 years, but it's not that straightforward. Deciding when to replace your mattress means having to consider a number of factors. Below are the things you should look at when trying to determine if it's time to replace your bed or not.

Age of the mattress. Sure, if you've had your current bed for 7 years or longer it may be time to start thinking about replacing it. Yet you'll also need to think about what your mattress is made of, as that can actually determine the longevity of it. These are the general time frames for how long mattresses of certain materials will last:

Now that you know how long your type of mattress should last, it's time to consider the other factors to decide if it's time to replace your mattress.

Your mattress is sagging. No matter what your mattress is made of, there's a good chance that over time it will start to sag in places. You can mitigate this by turning and flipping your mattress on a regular schedule, but eventually the use is going to catch up with it. Once your mattress has started to sag, it's generally a good sign it's time to buy a new one.

You're waking up in pain. If your mattress was incredibly comfortable in the beginning but now you're finding that you wake up in pain on it, it may be time to replace it. While waking up in pain rarely can mean you slept in the wrong position, if your back is aching every morning when you get up for the day, it's probably the fault of your bed.

It looks old. If your mattress is showing visible signs of wear and tear and looks its age, it's likely that it's kind of breaking down at this point and if it doesn't have to be replaced right away, it's getting there quickly.

Your allergies or asthma are being aggravated. It's gross to consider, but mattresses can hold on to dead skin cells, hairs, dust, dust mites, pet hair, sweat, and more elements that can aggravate allergies and asthma, no matter how clean you keep everything else. Keeping your mattress covered with a mattress protector as well as making sure to use fitted sheets and top sheets can definitely help to delay this issue, but that doesn't mean it will eliminate it entirely.

You're waking up less rested. A new mattress can mean blissful sleep night after night — for a while, anyway. If you've noticed that no matter how early you go to sleep or how long you sleep you're waking up feeling fatigued and tired, your old bed may be to blame. There are other factors that could be making you feel this way, so if you sleep elsewhere for a night and still have trouble, it's worth seeing a doctor. But if you've found that you can fall asleep in a recliner and sleep better than you have in months, your mattress may be the cause of your bedtime woes.

Your mattress has an odor. No, not like the chemical odor that some foam mattresses have when first opening, but more like an odor due to the kinds of things mentioned above; that is, sweat, dirt, and dead skin, which all build up on a mattress over time. No matter how clean your sheets are or how clean the rest of the home is, if your mattress is smelling a bit funky, it's probably past its prime — or least getting there.

Your mattress is noisy. If it was completely silent when you first brought it into your bedroom and now you're finding that sitting on lightly causes it to squeak like an old door, it's a good sign that your mattress is aging and it's time to start considering a replacement.

How Much Should A New Mattress Cost?

A new mattress can certainly run the gamut from very affordable — we've seen a 6" innerspring twin mattress for as low as $73 in the past year — to a few grand easily depending on what kind of mattress you're looking for. Adjustable beds with metal frames can be somewhat pricey and also have the shortest lifespan of mattresses at just 6-8 years, for example. If you're deciding on a reasonable mattress budget, it's a good idea to set aside $1,000 to $2,000 for a new mattress.

When Do Mattresses Go On Sale?

While savings events may not happen frequently throughout the year, there are still select periods of time that will reliably offer mattresses on sale. These tend to be around big holiday weekends that also happen to be prime shopping opportunities including the following:

Presidents' Day

This holiday falls on the third Monday in February every year and provides a huge opportunity for savings on a number of categories but mattresses on sale is one of the bigger draws on this holiday.

Memorial Day

In addition to serving as the unofficial start to summer and falling on the last Monday in May, the long holiday weekend is also a chance to find some of the best mattress deals of the year, with discounts reaching 50% off or more while some brands will provide up to $600 off select models, if not higher savings.

Independence Day

This is another major shopping holiday that will provide decent savings on mattresses, with some retailers offering as much as up to 70% off. However, we may not see as many mattresses on sale during this time, so keep that in mind if you're planning to shop. If you don't find a model that you like and that fits your budget during this holiday period though, that's okay because the next best time to buy a mattress in 2024 comes pretty soon after.

Labor Day

The long holiday weekend that signals the unofficial end of summer is one of the last standard times of year to find mattresses on sale.

Other Times of Year to Look for Mattresses on Sale

March

Specifically the late winter and early spring period seems to be a good time to look for the best mattress deals outside of the holiday weekends above. This is thought to be because mattress manufacturers will release new models around this time, which means the previous year's models are more likely to see significant discounts.

May

While Memorial Day is an excellent time to find mattresses on sale, the truth is that the entire month of May is a good time to shop. At least, savvy shoppers should be on the lookout for great deals all month long. Why? Because May is Better Sleep Month, and you can bet that at least some retailers will use that as an excuse to offer different promotions throughout.

Black Friday

This is probably still one of the best times of year to shop for almost everything, given that many retailers participate in Black Friday sales and offer a wide variety of discounts. With more participation in general, that translates to more deals available to choose from, so if you want a wide selection of mattresses at a range of prices to suit most budgets, this is a good time to shop.

Do Mattress Prices Differ By Season?

For the most part, mattress prices should be relatively consistent. That is, if you're shopping for a Queen size mattress that is normally priced at $1,899 that's going to be the price you see most often. While sales may fall during different seasons, the savings are usually consistent, too. That means if that Queen mattress sees $400 off in March, there's a good chance that'll be the discount it gets in other savings events throughout the year.

The one exception to this may be around Black Friday and Cyber Monday. We could see slightly higher discounts around that time of year, so that instead of $400 off that Queen model you've been eyeing, you might be able to get $600 off — or even more.

How Do I Get the Best Price on Mattresses?

Shop the Sales

This is probably the easiest way to find the best mattress deals, whether you're looking for a simple Twin or huge King adjustable mattresses on sale. Especially those around the holidays mentioned above will offer a variety of sizes of mattresses on sale, so you should be able to more easily find a new bed to fit your budget and your needs, whatever they may be.

Pick Out A Model ASAP

If you know you're going to be shopping for a new bed sometime in the near future, it's a good idea to pick out a model (as well as some backups) as soon as possible. That way you can start looking for deals, or even set price trackers in some cases if you use Google Chrome as your browser. Even if you can't track a product's price with Google, you may still be able to find shopping insights that can help you see price fluctuations. Then you can see if a certain model went on sale during a select period of time or sale the previous year, and plan accordingly to watch for those same deals to return again this year.

Contact Customer Service

This is especially good if you can do so via a live chat option on the brand's website, as it may be more convenient. Tell the employee which model you're interested in buying and (politely) ask if there are any current promotions available to help you save. If there isn't one currently available, you can (again, politely) ask if there's anything coming up to watch out for, but know that the associate may not be able to answer that question with any specifics. Still, they could let you know that a sale is coming for Memorial Day, as an example.

Sign Up for Emails

If you're sold on a particular brand, consider signing up for emails. There's a good chance you'll be able to receive a modest amount off your first purchase (such as $50 or so) but you'll also be able to get a heads up on sales, since email subscribers tend to be the first to know about upcoming promotions as well as newly-launched savings.

What Criteria Should I Use When Shopping for Mattresses?

Mattress Material

Some materials tend to be cheaper than others, but depending on the brand and quality, it can mean needing to replace your bed sooner than you'd like. If you're looking for a new mattress, definitely consider the lifespan of different materials as well as costs when trying to decide what to buy.

Sleeping Position

Much like pillows, the mattress firmness you need can be dependent on how you sleep. For example, when it comes to soft mattresses, those are best suited for lighter-weight individuals and side sleepers, while a medium firm mattress is good for almost everyone, including:

• Side sleepers
• Back sleepers
• Stomach sleepers
• Heavier individuals
• Lighter-weight individuals

Finally, hard mattresses are best for back sleepers, stomach sleepers, and heavier individuals. It should be easy to see that when in doubt, go with medium firmness for comfortable snoozing.

Delivery Options

If you're shopping online and for a foam mattress, then the odds are good you'll receive a large box with a vacuum-packed mattress inside. If you're strong enough, you can haul the whole thing into your bedroom and cut the package open to let the mattress begin to expand on your bed frame. However, some online purchases may be delivered whole, in which case you may need some assistance to tote it to your bedroom. One option whether you buy in-person or online is to consider paying for white glove delivery, where the delivery people will bring the mattress inside your home and deposit it in the bedroom for you.

Warranties

Long warranties can sound appealing, but really you only need something that would cover the natural lifespan of the mattress based on materials. Read the fine print of the warranty to see what all it supposedly covers and for how long, and weigh your purchase with that in mind.

How Does Shopping Compare Online vs In-Store?

When deciding how to shop for a mattress, you'll likely have a handful of options depending on the area you live in. There are online options, of course, and there may be some mattress stores nearby, but you may not have many to choose from. Either way, there are notable differences in the methods you should keep in mind when you want to know how to shop for a mattress.

Try before you buy. Shopping in-person means the ability to somewhat try out a mattress before you decide which one to buy. Granted, you won't be able to take a nap or anything like that, but you usually can take a second to feel it out and see if it immediately feels comfortable or not depending on your needs. The good news is that if you're shopping online, you can usually get an in-home trial period, often for 60 to 100 nights depending on the brand, so that you can try out your new bed and return it within that time frame if it doesn't work for you.

Skip the hard-sell. Shopping in-person also means potentially subjecting yourself to a hard-sell from a salesperson, especially if they earn commission and you happen to shop at the end of the month when they may be more desperate to make a sale.

Haggle for a lower price. If you do plan to shop in-person, though, you can also try to haggle for a better price. There's no guarantee you'll be able to receive one, no matter how persistent and polite you are, but it's certainly worth a try.

Deciding on how to shop for a mattress is going to be highly dependent on personal factors and preferences, as well as budget and time constraints. That said, this is a good guide on where to begin and all the factors to consider, from how you sleep to how long you've had your current bed. If you're ready to start shopping, be sure to check out all the best mattress deals available right now.