Son is moving to an unfurnished apartment in the Midwest to try going back and getting his degree. We’ll try to buy most furniture from Goodwill or places like that, but he’ll need a new mattress. What can you recommend for an inexpensive yet comfortable mattress? Online would be great so we don’t have to hassle.
Just went down that road for a mattress for our guest room. I am a fan of online mattresses. I have a Helix. For the guest room I just bought a Nest Love & Sleep https://www.nestbedding.com/pages/nest-mattresses. Very comfy and similar to the Tuft & Needle. I would also consider a Tuft & Needle, Nectar, or Purple. I almost bought this https://www.amazon.com/Zinus-Memory-Green-Mattress-Queen/dp/B00Q7EPSHI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1534696650&sr=8-2&keywords=zinus+green+tea+mattress&dpID=51yTFqxqsRL&preST=SX300_QL70&dpSrc=srch but didn’t trust that it wouldn’t be too hot. Buying on-line is best as it can be returned.
No suggestions for the mattress.
Just wanted to say what wonderful news! 
LOVE our IKEA mattress (a queen size Spring mattress was approx. $300). We chose the more firm version, and added our own egg crate type topper. Only one side is usable, and I have no idea how long it will last, but so far, I’ve been very comfortable (used about 2 months).
There are inexpensive options on Amazon for mattresses and bed frames. A mattress that turns out to be so-so in the comfort department can be upgraded by adding a layer. We did this with the mattress in our spare room. Adding a 3" latex foam layer on top made a big difference.
Good luck!
Don’t buy a Saatva! We hate ours, but only realized it after the 30 day trial.
We’re cautiously optimistic. This time everything was at Fang Jr’s instigation. He came to us and said, “I’ve applied to be reinstated at Kalamazoo.” We were shocked and pleased.
Aldi had mattresses in the housewares section last week. If he’s already in his college town, he could pop by and see if any are left.
With a bad back, I need to try out mattresses. I suggest local mattress stores. Many can be national chains, like Mattress 1 and Ashley. mattress Firm. Take your time, return to the store a few times.
Make sure he gets a split box springs with a queen size or bigger mattress. A store may need to order it, they may not carry the split box springs. They may tell him queen size does not come split.
I know for a fact you can get queen size split and the store can order them if you decide to go through a store.
We have had two moves this year, my H, son and I moved from the Midwest to the west coast and my daughter moved within her university town. Neither new apartment was set up to be able to get queen size springs up the stairs to the bed room. We had to order new split ones and they made it up just fine.
I know folks who have gotten the foam mattresses in a box. I don’t remember the name…but the box isn’t all,that big…and the mattress comes out and POOF…it becomes a very comfy mattress. Hoping someone fills in the name.
The current plan is this one, suggested by GTAlum. I’ve heard good enough things about mattresses in a box, and this one is inexpensive.
https://www.amazon.com/Zinus-Memory-Green-Mattress-Queen/dp/B00Q7EPSHI/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1534696650&sr=8-2&keywords=zinus+green+tea+mattress&dpID=51yTFqxqsRL&preST=SX300_QL70&dpSrc=srch
My daughter has a zinus and she’s very happy with it.
My son also had the Zinus while he was in Boston. Easy delivery and setup. He liked it.
@thumper1 there are many companies with such a mattress. My Helix came that way as did my new Nest. Besides those, the options are numerous: Tuft & Needle, most of the ones sold on Amazon such as the Zinus, Casper, Bed in a Box, Purple… Excellent choice getting the Zinus @“Cardinal Fang”
College towns have gobs of mattress stores catering to students, and they deliver. We got a perfectly fine full sized mattress for about $350 with delivery in D’s college town.
@“Cardinal Fang” that mattress is exactly the one my son has and he’s very happy with it.
My D has a Zinus which I learned about here on CC. We got the Zinus bed frame as well. Very easy to ship to campus and for her to set up. She is very happy with her bed (she does use the foam topper she already had.) We bought both Zinus items on Amazon and spent a total of about $300, I believe. No box spring needed!
We bought a full size Zinus 10” memory foam mattress in a box and the steel base for it that has 14” of clearance for around $250 from Amazon. The frame took 2-3 days to be delivered and the mattress took 4-5. Couldn’t have been easier to setup. My son has never had a memory foam mattress so I wasn’t sure how he would like it and he seems quite happy with it.
Ikea or Zinus