<p>My S needs a bed for his off campus apartment.</p>
<p>Any thoughts or ideas on the best way to get one - on-line, a sam’s club type places etc.?</p>
<p>They do have access to a SUV, so they can go somewhere to pick it up.</p>
<p>Thanks</p>
<p>Most cities/areas have a local mattress chain. When my kid was in a similar situation, needed a bed for 2 years, we went to the local place and explained how long he needed it and got a new but relatively cheap mattress and box spring. They delivered same day.</p>
<p>I ordered my kid’s bed from Overstock few years back. Delivery was right to her apartment for $2.</p>
<p>Ikea has some of the lowest prices but usually needs a memory foam topper which makes a cheap mattress more tolerable. The stuff at Ikea usually will fit in an SUV since it’s packaged.</p>
<p>Costco.com will deliver to the apartment. That’s how we bought our mattress at home, a memory foam-type that we love.</p>
<p>I was in the same situation and really recommend Ikea. Definitely fit in my SUV, and supplemented with the top of the line bedtopper from Bed Bath and Beyond. Also need to buy the bed slats separately at Ikea. I tried local bedding stores, Sams type clubs, sales at Macys, and found the Ikea solution to be ideal for this year off campus. Roomate who was present when handy, but impatient, husband was putting together, assured us that once you get the hang of it, the Ikea bed can be disassembled, moved and reassembled easily as the roomate had alreay used it for temporary summer housing until apartment lease kicked in August 1st.</p>
<p>Costco has good prices and free delivery but you’ll need a few days or so to receive it. They also have those steel bed frames for $39.99. I got one for D2 last fall and it was quite sturdy and easy to put together.</p>
<p>I bought my D an airbed from Costco to get her through the first week in her new apartment till she could go out and buy a bed. She ended up using the airbed the entire school year. She used it again this fall and it finally failed in December. Because she is about to graduate she bought another airbed. The airbed she has it the one that is higher and mimics the height of a real bed. Not for everyone but it worked for her. She is extremely frugal and could not bring herself to go buy a real bed when she felt the airbed was fine. She got 15 months of nightly sleeping out of the first airbed. This was including having a 50 lb dog up and down off the bed.</p>
<p>I recently researched this and Costco would have definitely been more expensive than Ikea for a real bed ( not an air bed). </p>
<p>The cheapest is Craigslist in the area but if you do that then make sure a plastic zip bag is used to enclose the used mattress due to the potential yuck factor. </p>
<p>The absolute cheapest is a mattress on the floor but a more regular bed is nicer.</p>
<p>When I was in college a hundred years ago my cheap solution was a waterbed mattress on the floor enclosed by 4 boards for the sides and ends. It was very cheap and portable but you don’t hear much about those any more.</p>
<p>GladGrad- she had no Ikea nearby. We would have paid for the real mattress but she made the choice to stick with the aerobed. I had bought the first one for a great price at Costco online when they had a coupon. She had to spend double what I spent on the first one for the replacement bed.</p>
<p>Might try Big lots-they carry Serta mattresses, futons and click claks.
Smart Bargain online has been running specials on the Aerobeds pretty often. I also think you can order mattresses from Walmart with cheap delivery.</p>
<p>In the 5 years since my D has been in NYC she has had both the airbed that mimics the height of a ‘real’ bed (very comfy), and an Ikea bunk bed with her work space below (her roommate put his loveseat below his). Both have worked out very well. Depending on the size of your S’s room (space) the bunk bed may be a better fit as it provides extra space for desk, loveseat, whatever. My D is in year 3 of the bunk, and has her sewing machine/desk below, and has added closet rods for hanging clothes. She added a foam topper to the mattress (inexpensive from KMart) for $20. She thinks she paid $179 for the bunk from Ikea.</p>
<p>Sears - look at their on line website. They will also deliver and set up.</p>
<p>Check our Penney’s and Macy’s. Macy’s always seems to have lots of mattress sales in January.</p>
<p>My nephew has an airbed like Mom60’s daughter. Costco has a really nice queen for about $130 that sits up high. I think it’s a great solution.</p>
<p><a href=“http://reviews.costco.com/2070/11480428/aero-products-international-aerobed-lasting-comfort-tough-queen-airbed-reviews/reviews.htm[/url]”>http://reviews.costco.com/2070/11480428/aero-products-international-aerobed-lasting-comfort-tough-queen-airbed-reviews/reviews.htm</a></p>
<p><a href=“http://www.metromattress.com/assets/Uploads/pdfs/MM15for1SaleEventInsertWEBNoEB.pdf[/url]”>http://www.metromattress.com/assets/Uploads/pdfs/MM15for1SaleEventInsertWEBNoEB.pdf</a></p>
<p>Twin set for $349. Full for $449. Queen for $499.</p>
<p>whoa - $350 for a college kids bed and that’s a twin? Here’s one for half of that from overstocks.com [Ultra</a> Resort Foam Top Innerspring 10-inch Twin-size Mattress | Overstock.com](<a href=“Overstock.com: Online Shopping - Bedding, Furniture, Electronics, Jewelry, Clothing & more”>Overstock.com: Online Shopping - Bedding, Furniture, Electronics, Jewelry, Clothing & more)</p>
<p>Our son was horrified at the cost of new bedding and against our advice, picked up a used(!) one from Craigslist. The headboard, however, was beautiful.</p>
<p>OP here.</p>
<p>Thanks, everyone, They ended up going to Sam’s Club yesterday and getting a Serta mattress, Serta box spring, and bed frame there.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, there is no Ikea near their school. I wish there was. I was very surprised to see on the Ikea website that they only have 38 stores in the US.</p>
<p>I already told younger D and S that they will only be allowed to go to a college where there is an Ikea nearby.</p>
<p>I bought my daughter’s at Sears last summer. Sears delivered it and set it up and the sale included a frame. I went for a decent be drinking that she will keep it once she graduates and goes to work.</p>