We are ready to move dd to a big girl bed. Does anyone know where to find a decent, but inexpensive full size mattress? (mattress only, the frame we have doesn;t take a box spring.) I didn't know they were so expensive and we can't afford $400 for our 2yr old to sleep on!

We are also wanting to switch her over so that we have a guest room for when the Grandparents come to visit. Nobody likes sleeping on the couch!

You might want to try Sam's Club or wal-mart.com
I know that in the past Sam's Club has had mattresses for good prices.

I just found out that Big Lots carries Mattresses and they are on sale! Don't know how good they are, but we'll check them out!

If she's only 2 you might want to try to find an inexpensive toddler bed. Then you can use your crib mattress. Sometimes people sell toddler beds at yard sales for 10 or 20 dollars. Good luck, whatever you decide to do!

I have bought mattresses ay Cosco inexpensive. I watched a news program about refurbished mattresses so just don't buy one at a yard sale or good will.

__________________
"Before I was a Mom I didn't know the feeling of having my heart outside my body." ~Anonymous

i would try craigslist.org. find you city and go to for sale section. I bought a full size bed set with frame and box spring also only 2 years old for $30 for my guest room. They were moving and selling all their stuff.

__________________

I am only one, but I am one. I can not do everything, but I can do something. I must not fail to do the something that I can do. -Edward Hale

She is in a toddler bed now, but we are beginning to have more overnight company and we don't have a spare bedroom. After my Dad insisted on buying us a sleeper sofa, he now doesn't like sleeping in the living room and they stay at a hotel. I would like to have a full size bed so they can stay here instead. I think they miss alot when they don't sleep here and the visit feels more rushed.

I don't know where you live, but in most big cities you can go to the outskirts of town and find a lot of generic furniture stores - the ones around here advertise $199 or less for mattress sets. The probably aren't great, but might be more comfy with one of those fluffy mattress pads or something on top. I bought a $75 twin for my son's top bunk - no one sleeps up there. The best investment too, is a mattress protector (not a mattress pad) that is like a plastic envelope that you put the mattress in - it will protect it from little kid pee-pee accidents better.

I wouldn't suggest buying a used mattress from someone you don't know. I watched something the other day about bed bugs being more of a problem now than ever. Plus, the general ick factor of sleeping on someone's bed that they didn't want anymore.....

I wouldn't get a mattress off Craigslist or Freecycle...that would just gross me out. But that's me.

Sam's Club, BJ's and Costco all have matresses for reasonable prices. IKEA used to as well but I haven't shopped for one there in quite some time.

Thanks for all the great ideas. No, I would not buy a used mattress.

After all this, I remebered that my Grandma had a few full size mattresses and my Mom has them in storage. They are not the best and are old and some slight soiling, but I can get the plastic protector (envelope kind) and then a good mattress pad and then save/buy a decent mattress when we can afford it.