How to Save Money on a New Mattress

Shop at the best time of year.

Much like shopping for major appliances, home furniture, or outdoor patio sets, the best time of year to buy a mattress is around major holiday weekends. That's when online shopping expert Michelle Madhok, founder of deals site She Finds, says you'll find huge discounts at many of the big box stores and from online mattress companies. Keep an eye out for online and in-store promotions. Three-day weekends—such as Labor Day, Memorial Day, and President's Day—are sure bets for decent savings on mattresses.

These sales usually include accessories, too, so keep an eye out for discounts on add-ons like mattress pads and toppers. If you're not ready to buy a whole new mattress, a great mattress topper can help extend the life of your current mattress.

Negotiate at mattress stores.

Madhok says that, as with buying a car, many mattress retailers are willing to haggle. "You can definitely negotiate at these brick-and-mortar stores," she says, "on everything from pricing to financing for your new mattress." Of course, you'll have to qualify for any financing programs the way you might for a car loan.

When you go in to test some of the latest mattress models with big price tags, it doesn't hurt to ask about sales, promotions, and wiggle room they have on prices. If nothing else, many sellers are willing to throw in free pillows or mattress protectors to sweeten the deal. If you're confident in your negotiation skills, the best time to buy a mattress might be when you have some time to scope the sales and barter with your seller.

Shop new online competitors.

For decades, buying a mattress meant driving to the store to test out dozens of models. Now, you can have one shipped to your door in a box after reading reviews to see if it's a good fit. "There's kind of a big mattress war going on right now," Madhok says, and it benefits customers. Today the space is so competitive, you have a very good chance at saving, he says

If you're wary about ordering a mattress online, the price points may be enough to entice you. Madhok says many of the boxed mattresses online—such as Zinus, Tuft & Needle, and Purple—are hundreds of dollars less than brands you find in stores, and require no moving vans or delivery windows.

If you're anxious about buying something online that you aren't happy with, don't be. Most online mattress companies—also called direct-to-consumer brands—have a satisfaction guarantee where you can sleep on the mattress for a few months at home before committing to the purchase. Nectar, for example, offers a 365-night trial to test their product.

Bottom line: If you're ordering a mattress online, the best time to buy one might be now, just as old-school sellers work to stay relevant among breakout online brands.

Use coupons, discount codes, and referrals.

With so many new online mattress companies competing with giants like Mattress Firm, you're likely noticing lots of ads from the boxed-mattress competitors. "I see ads for Casper on the subway all the time," Madhok says.

Take advantage of promotions by looking for major deals for first-time buyers. Casper offers a referral program, where you can get discounts for suggesting the brand to friends who also end up buying. If you visit their site, you can sometimes qualify for a discount just by participating in a survey.

Madhok says the standard coupon scanning sites are also good at generating a list of coupon codes and discounts for mattresses. Try CashbackMonitor.com and other sites like it to see where you can get cash back.