Taking hosting to a new level
February 9, 2011
As I’ve mentioned on Twitter a couple of times, we have a dear friend coming to stay with us soon.
She’s older and can’t camp out like our usual friends are willing to on the sofa, the fold-out bed, or the air mattress. And, well, she’s accustomed to the finer things in life. As she should be, she’s been comfortably retired for years after quite a successful career in the financial sector. She’s been incredibly good to us for the years of our friendship, too, not just because she’s financially able to but she’s been ever so giving of her time and energy when we needed support.
Thus, PiC’s immediate reaction was: Sell the fold-out couch! Buy a new bed!
I sort of thought he was kidding … but he’s not. We’re now going to have a real guest room with a full size bed and all that.
The sofa’s listed on Craigslist for about $200 less than the store price (it’s still available in stores, it’s in perfect condition since it’d hardly ever been used) and he’s getting all the usual slew of poor written, can’t-follow-instructions, didn’t-read-the-ad responses. Here’s hoping that it sells quickly because he’s now doing his research on a new (also Craigslisted) bed frame and mattress, using Jonathan’s guide to decoding the Heavenly Bed.
Who knew it’d take panic shopping to send him to PF blogs? 😉
On the matter of mattresses, would you ever buy a used mattress?
No, because the fear of bed bugs far outweighs the cost of a new mattress!
Not only that…all the other things in that mattress…dead skin cells, bodily fluids…ick.
Yeah, I’m with c_vandoorn. I would just be too freaked out about what could possibly have been on there. I would need to see the receipt of purchase, see that it was bought within the past 6 months, and then clean it out thoroughly before I even layed down on it.
Too much work. I’d definitely wait for a sale at Macys, Sleepys, or 1800-Mattress and go buy it then.
I have bought and sold used mattresses without any problems.
(I’m a different Leslie)
I wouldn’t for the same reason as C_Vandoorn and Investing Newbie, bed bugs. You might get a good one, but you also might get years of headache and expense and general grossness.
I would buy an inexpensive firm mattress. Then snazz it up with a featherbed or dense foam pad. Our daughter’s bed is our old one (22 y.o.!) and our guests LOVE the bed. In fact, at least 2 have bought featherbeds.
So I will never buy an expensive mattress again but will replace toppers as necessary.
There’s a lot of competition for used mattresses among the poor, so I probably wouldn’t buy for that reason.
No. But mostly because there’s a problem with bed bugs in south-central Ontario/Quebec and with the states in that area. Don’t wanna risk it.
Hmmm. Mine is secondhand – I bought it when I first moved out without much thought. I don’t think I’d do it again – I was ripped off, plus you can get awesome new deals if you have the time and patience. I guess you need yours fairly soon though!
Not a chance, not with a plague of bedbugs out there!
“Who knew it’d take panic shopping to send him to PF blogs? 😉 ” <--cute.
N O
Mattresses just aren’t comfy anymore after 10 years, no matter what the salesman says. I would accept a hand-me-down mattress if I knew its origins and how long it had been around, especially for a guest bedroom… but no, not a used mattress.
Our guest bedroom mattress was around $300 total new, including shipping. I’m sure it is dripping with awful chemicals… but it does the job.
Avoid used mattresses at all costs. Unless you personally know the person you’re getting it from, it’s more of a risk than it’s worth. Better safe than sorry!
Ewww! I’d nix the used mattress.
Are you talking about a twin or full size? Innerspring versions can be had at very reasonable prices at mattress stores (which seem to have constant sales) and at places like Sears and Penny’s.
Interesting thought. I think I’m pretty nonchalant about most germy things but no, I wouldn’t buy a used mattress. If the cost of a new one is too dear, we’ve had good luck with a double air mattress for Bill’s sister and brother-in-law in their 60s (mind they are pretty fit people). Theoretically you’ll get a lot of years of use of a new mattress, so it’s not terribly un-frugal a purchase.
@c_vandoorn, Investing Newbie, 2nd Leslie, Asian Pear, Olivia, me in millions, Shelley:
I’d mostly forgotten about the bed bug issue, it hasn’t been much of a thing out here but I do have my reservations in general about the idea of buying used from a stranger and not knowing the true age and usage history.
@Frugal Scholar: I’m shooting for a decent quality at a reasonably low cost given the holiday weekend.
@eemusings: The Craigslisted mattresses are priced relatively well, but it’s hard to overcome the uncertainty about whether the mattresses really WERE sealed up for the whole year of ownership in hypoallergenic packaging or whatever.
@FaM: A full size, I think.
I agree my only fear is bed bugs…It cost a friend of ours a fortune to get rid of them. And that was after they spread to her couch, all three of her bedrooms and her carpet
be careful
judy
I’m with the majority! Used matresses to me, are the equivilant of buying used underwear. Yuck! Bedbugs, skin cells, bodily fluids … hehe.
I was thinking hmm maybe but then read Daisys comment about bodily fluids. O_O I myself am a drooler so I understand that part plus, well you know, the other stuff that goes on a in a bed. I think new might be the way to go for moi. But if it was for guests, I don’t think I’d care as much, since I myself am not really sleeping on it. Hmmm.