Major adult purchase 101: The best time to buy a mattress

The time has come to make your most adult purchase yet: a mattress. Maybe you've moved into your own place or have finally decided to invest in getting better sleep (yay!). That lumpy spring mattress your mom got you isn't doing you any favors after this many years anyway. This isn't like most other quick purchases for your space — buying yourself a brand-new mattress is pretty major. 

Not only is it tricky to choose the right mattress for you, but once you've found it, your dream bed could end up costing thousands of dollars. Time and money well spent, obvi, but it's worth knowing when the best time to buy a mattress is. There are annual mattress sales events and holiday weekends where you could save some serious cash. Most-popular mattresses from big brands like Emma, Casper, and Avocado will be discounted, and models from retailers like Mattress Firm may be on sale, too.

Oh, there are also a few good cheap mattresses out there, too. These are perfect if you're not 100% ready to say goodbye to your savings.

Mega sales and holiday weekends

If cost is your biggest concern, then it's worth waiting til the key mattress sales times before clicking checkout on the mattress you've had your eye on. "Black Friday, Amazon Prime events, and the January sales will always have great deals on mattresses," says Theresa Schnorbach, sleep scientist from Emma, The Sleep Company (opens in new tab). "Spring is also a [good] time, especially for mattress sales as many take the opportunity to refresh their bed to clear out the old and bring in the new."

Psst! This is the best mattress on sale RN. 

Key sales worth waiting for: 

• Presidents Day: Falling on the third Monday in February every year, this holiday weekend will see plenty of sales from Presidents day itself through to the weekend. 
• Memorial Day: Though it's on the third Monday of May, the Memorial Day sales usually begin the week before and continue over Memorial Day weekend. 
• Fourth of July: The Independence Day sale period often lasts over a week with plenty of offers on your big-ticket items like mattresses, furniture, and appliances. 
• Labor Day: Similar to memorial day, you'll find sales on the first Monday in September right through to the following weekend. 
• Black Friday and Cyber Monday: The biggest sales event of the year, it's common to see big brands launch their most competitive deals of the year for at least a week (e.g. in 2022, we saw at least 60% of top-rated beds on sale). If you can wait until then, you won't regret it. 
• Amazon Prime Day(s): Believe it or not, you can get some of the best mattresses on Amazon, and when Amazon hosts its mega sale event, typically in mid-July, you'll be able to find them discounted. 

Major life events

While we always say to wait until key sales periods to score some savings on a mattress, you should never sacrifice your sleep. "There isn’t really any 'right' or 'wrong' time to buy a mattress; if you need a new bed, then you need one," says Schnorbach. Here are a few personal circumstances when it might be best to make your most adult purchase yet: 

• You've had your mattress for longer than you can remember. I bet most of us are still sleeping on the bed our moms bought us way back when. There's nothing wrong with this, as long as it's still comfy. If your bed is worn, or damaged, or you can feel springs, it's time for an upgrade. 
• You're moving out. Firstly congrats! Secondly, it's time to buy yourself your very own bed. If your new apartment or home doesn't come with a mattress provided, now's a great opportunity to invest in the mattress you'll probably keep for years.
• If your current mattress — old or new — is uncomfortable then it's worth finding a mattress that most suits your sleep needs. And if you can't quite afford one just yet, then a comfy mattress topper might be a better fit.