How To Buy A Mattress

Learn How To Haggle And Get Best Price

(CBS)  Buying a mattress can cost you big bucks.

The Early Show ConsumerWatch correspondent Susan Koeppen turned to the experts at Consumer Reports for some advice on how to get the best value for your money.

Here are a few things she learned:

You don't have to spend a fortune on your bed.

High coil count isn't always necessary.

And finding the perfect mattress comes down to what you think is comfortable.

Nobody knows a good mattress like Charlotte Williams. She's been sleeping on the same one for 63 years.

And it stills feels great. What's so special about this Simmons Beautyrest?

The 82-year-old says her mattress is perfect because it's not too soft, not too firm, it's just right.

"It's not for sale," she assures Koeppen with laughter, "I wouldn't give it up for anything."

Everyone wants to find that perfect mattress, but how do you pick one that's right for you?

Koeppen went to see Tod Marks at Consumer Reports where they studied and tested dozens of beds.

In the magazine's June issue, they show you how to buy a mattress without losing sleep.

The most important tip: if you don't snooze, you lose. Give that mattress a 15-minute test drive.

Marks says, "We found that 15-minute trial that you're apt to do in store that we recommend is a really accurate predictor of long-term satisfaction."