I did a little research. It looks like "air beds" are fairly cheap. But, real honest-to-goodness mattresses and futons are quite expensive. Air mattresses are about $100. Non-air mattresses and futons are between $200 and $300. I've never slept on an air bed, but, as you know, I can sleep on almost anything without a problem. I suspect that shipping the mattress that we have will probably be about $150 out of the $3900. So, it would be cheaper to buy an air mattress, but maybe not a non-air one. Also, air mattresses are much more transportable. (Of course, all these estimates are without the bed or futon platform. That'll add maybe $100 to $200 to the cost depending on whether you can find a used one or not.)