Save Money on Luxury sheetsby Mary Ann Romans | More from this Blogger 04 Jun 2007 10:46 AM Being frugal doesn't mean that you can't enjoy the good life. Indulgent sheets are one way to enjoy a luxurious lifestyle. The good news is that with a little advice, you can enjoy great bedding while still being on a budget. I was first introduced to the world of amazingly soft sheets on a weekend stay at a lovely little bed and breakfast in Newport, RI. Everything about the bed was amazing, from its four poster design to its piles of warm, downy comforters. But the sheets, of course, were the most memorable. This was in the days before the new manufacturing technology allowed for the high thread count sheets that you can find today. Back then, sheets that were 300-400 thread count could cost hundreds of dollars. We asked the proprietress about the sheets, and she confessed that they were called Charisma and retailed for about $400. Ouch. But she also confessed that she got them for about $150 by shopping smartly. Now you might think that $150 is still a lot of money for sheets, but that included an entire set. The quality of those sheets, made them last many years, through frequent washings in hot water and harsh detergents. I was spoiled from then on and had to get at least one set of those sheets. I have to say, that I purchased them for even less than she did and still have them in good use, almost ten years later. I wash them in hot water, once a week (although I use a gentle detergent) and use them for about three or four days at a time, all spring and summer long. I alternate with another pair of sheets, so I can make the bed while the one set of sheets is washed and dries. For cooler weather, I switch to a heavier weight sheet, such as flannel. The secret to saving on luxury bedding is two-fold: wait for a huge bedding sale (in our case it was Macy's), and buy the irregulars. Since I knew exactly what brand and what store, this was pretty easy to do. I swear that I still have not found out, even after ten years, what was irregular about my Charisma sheets. In the whole time I've used them, I've had one problem. A few years back, the top hem came undone and had to be sewed. During that same time, I've had to replace three other sets of less expensive sheets that wore out and fell apart beyond repair. Another idea for saving on luxury sheets is to find an outlet store. Many times they will have sheets that are irregular or were a trendy color that are way past their trend. Some stores even carry sheets that have been returned. I know some people are a little squeamish about buying sheets that might have been slept on, though. Mary Ann Romans also writes for the Computing Blog here at Families.com where she shares everything from the latest news on technology to cool downloads and fun websites. Related Articles: Frugal Lessons from The Amish: Giving Up Your Vacuum Learn more about Mary Ann Romans  Mary Ann Romans is a freelance writer, wife and mother of three children. She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, the kids and a 16-pound cat. Relevantfrugal tags User Comments jonesx6 (1606) 06 Jun 2007 12:10 PMI purchased a set of sheets for our queen size bed for under fifty dollars and they are 300 thread count. Linen's and Things was having a clearance sale on them. I sort fell upon them and loved the price!! The color isn't my favorite but I am happy w/ them!! Laura  Mary Ann Romans (26886) 06 Jun 2007 12:35 PMit is amazing what a difference that thread count makes, isn't it? Good job on your deal! Community Tags bedding, frugal, luxury, sheets Discuss this article
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