I made a purchase yesterday that will hopefully improve the quality of my life considerably. My girlfriend and I decided to split the cost of a new bed. For the last several years, I've been sleeping on a twenty year old bed. I purchased the mattress, box spring, and frame from the father of a friend for $50.

It was a great deal, but the bed wasn't exactly comfortable. Prior to owning my current bed, I slept on the bed belonging to my girlfriend at the time, which was all right. Even prior to sharing a bedroom with her (and sharing the apartment with two other friends), my sleeping arrangements consisted mostly of a futon or campus dorm beds.

This is the first "adult" furniture purchase I've made -- the IKEA "temporary" furniture, while lasting well past the life their prices would suggest, doesn't count -- and I intend to make it last at least at least fifteen years. It's a very comfortable queen size bed, and it seems to be a good value for the price. My girlfriend and I decided to split the cost with the thinking that if we ever move in together, it will be shared, but if we decide to part and one takes the bed, the other would pay the eventual bed owner half of the purchase price.

More than half of the price of the bed was paid for by the money my girlfriend and I made by selling our old college textbooks, but the new bed requires all new dressings. We'll split the cost of new sheets.

I am not a great sleeper and I always feel I need more than what I can get. Hopefully, this bed, with its pillow-topped mattress, is the next step in finding more comfortable rest.

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