It is worth buy a few yards of thick fabric, about 3½-4 lbs. of cotton batting, a needle (large), and some hefty thread.

>>17153442
it's worth it if the mattress is actually worth the money, and if you plan to use the same size bed for the next 5-10 years. personally I would not recommend going out and buying THE most expensive mattress. but like most things, a cheapo mattress is going to wear out way too soon. you might luck out and get one of those rare good cheap mattresses. but personally if it were me, I would go with something mid-range.

make sure you do your research and read reviews and product ratings before buying. if you go to a mattress store, they may try to upsell you. but if you decide beforehand how much you want to spend, most reasonably polite salespeople will respect that (though they may try to sell you, say, a $375 mattress if you tell them your upper limit is $350).

if you're on a budget and/or you're still not sure about a mattress, maybe consider starting with a futon and see how it goes. some people's backs work better with less padding, some with more. a futon is cheap and versatile so it's not a bad investment anyway. if it works out, great, if not, start saving and researching for a good mattress. you spend 1/3 of your life in bed, might as well get something that's not going to kill your back.

no one's going to fuck you for an extended period of time if you don't have a mattress. buy used, throw one of those water-proof matresss covers on it. will block any of the undesirable stuff from the mattress from ever coming in contact for you. or drop 800 bucks for a saatva /casper (online retailer) and get ten years of use

>>17153454
I've actually been sleeping in a futon for the past 3 months or so, I've had no problem at all but I recently hurt my shoulder and it doesn't seem to have fully recovered, which is why I tought I might need something softer but I'm also not a big fan of spring matresses and actually have felt comfier on those sponge-things but I don't know if it was just the change of surface and/or if they deteriorate quickly, etc.

>>17153464
then I'd get a regular mattress.

>>17153461
seconding the mattress cover. not so sure about buying a used mattress. maybe I would if it still looked newish and if I were super broke. but if it has any stains or sagging, don't buy it unless you have nothing else to sleep on and literally can't afford anything else. bedbugs are a thing, they can be hard to detect, and they are hard as fuck to get rid of.

>>17153442
It is, a good sleep will make feel refreshed each day. Sleeping on hard floor is rough, and everything will start to hurt. Save up and buy something nice you won't regret it when it comes to bedding.

oh, couple other things I forgot to say, if you're still around OP:

you will probably pay a bit more at a brick and mortar store than online. but at the store you can actually lie down on them and see how they feel. I guess you could try them in the store, make a note of the prices, and then go online and see whether you can order the same one online for less. also factor in delivery fees when you budget for it. often they'll charge $20-30 bucks to deliver the new mattress but will take the old one away for free.

also it is common to have mild backaches for a week or so after you switch mattresses because your body has to adjust to it. this can happen even with nice mattresses if they're very different from what you're used to sleeping on. if you get backaches from your new mattress, don't automatically assume it's the wrong mattress for you. give it a couple weeks and see if it goes away. it usually will. most places will give you a 30-day guarantee so you can return it if you just can't get used to it. but in that case it will need to be in pristine condition, no wear, no tags removed, no stains. get one of those waterproof microfiber mattress covers and don't invite 50 landwhales over to jump on your bed, and you should be fine.

>>17153442

yes. we slept on hard floors at a time where we had to be alert because animals may be attacking us. we lived in a time where humans were pertpetually exhausted and perpetually sore.

we lived in a time where your teeth rotted and fell out. thats why we have wisdom teeth btw.

just cuz cave people did somethign doesnt mean its okay. please save up at least 1000 dollars for a mattress. if you can find the same brand store you tested at the store online, feel free to get that at a discount.

BUT TRY BEFORE YOU BUY.

i paid 500 for the softest mattress craigslist had and it is the fucking worst. whenever i visit other people i sleep all night. here i wake up a thousand times a night cuz its so fucking stiff and im so fucking sore all the time, one touch to my back i nthe morning is orgasmic because of how much pressure is on my back it effects my entire life

dont end up like me OP save yourself while you still can.

>>17154195

youd have a hard time finding a mattress you like online. most mattress stores create different 'brands' and put them on the mattress. go to one mattress store, look up the brand, then go to the other mattress store and you wont find it. this is because they dont want to have to compete with each other on price. it lets them all have great sales.

>>17154214
I did not know that. I learned something today. makes sense though.

I'm guessing there are ones online that are comparable to ones in stores; and I would bet that if someone knew enough about mattresses (i.e. they work in the bedding industry or have studied it a lot) that they could find one online that's almost exactly the same even if a different brand. but even then I suppose it's still a gamble.

also life is short and there are many things in the world to learn besides the ins and outs of mattresses. for myself personally, I'd probably spend at most an hour or 2 reading up on it before selecting one, and just get one at the store. my 2¢

>>17154248

onlines a huge gamble. i got the softest mattress they gad, gel top and all that shit. stiffest thing of my life. i had better sleep on m yaunts couch (and i do mean that literally)