Cheap Memory Foam Mattress -- How to Save Money and Still Get the Benefits in a Cheap Mattress Set

A cheap memory foam mattress is cheap for a reason. The stuff inside is not as good as what goes into a well-made viscoelastic bed. If you have tried a Tempurpedic or Sealy memory foam mattress and think you will be getting the same "feel" while sleeping on a cheap mattress set made from low-quality memory foam, you will be disappointed.

On the other hand, if you have already tried a cheap memory foam mattress and found that it IS your cup of tea, you now have to decide where to go to get the "best" value for the price you're willing to pay.

Some Things to Watch Out For

Cheap bed sets often skimp on inner core support. Since this is the most important part of the bed for support and durability, a cheap memory foam mattress might use a core that is less dense and thinner than it should be. This makes the bed sink in a lot sooner than it would otherwise.

Others will have a polyurethane foam core rather than a viscoelastic core. This is not a terrible thing for a cheap mattress to have, as firm poly foam might offer as good or better support than weak memory foam.

The best memory foam mattresses have an inner core density of 4 lbs, with 5 lbs for extra firmness. Also, the ILD for the top layers should be between 13 and 15.

You might not be able to find out the actual numbers of a cheap bed, but you can always try.

Where to Find It

Your best bet are the discount department stores for the cheapest prices -- this includes Costco, Walmart and IKEA.

Depending on your budget, you might also try discount mattress stores that have "blowout" sales and closeouts occasionally.

The most important thing to do is to test it out carefully. No matter how much of a bargain it is on the floor, it won't be if you decide you don't like it.

If your current bed is in reasonable shape, you might also want to try a memory foam topper to test how your body responds to sleeping on this surface all night.