Everyday Cheapskate

Years ago, a friend and I wandered into an upscale home furnishings store. Given my love for textiles, I was drawn to the bed linens department. Really, this was like sinking into the lap of luxury. I never had seen anything like the beautiful bed linens on display. Simply reaching out and touching the beautifully made-up bed made me want to crawl in and take a nap.

It's difficult to describe just how lovely the sheets were. And they had a price tag to match, $400 for a fitted sheet and plenty more for its flat partner. Needless to say, I left that store empty-handed but determined to find out what made those sheets so much better than anything I ever had encountered. What I've learned is that bed linen knowledge is key:

—The cotton. The cool, soft feel of high-quality bedsheets comes from 100 percent cotton. Cotton wicks away moisture, keeping you comfortable, not clammy. The softness you can find with high-quality cotton is an addictive luxury your skin will remember. Polyester may wear like iron and never need to be ironed, but your skin always will know the difference.

Experts generally classify cottons into four main types based on appearance and staple length (extra-long, long, medium and short). The longer the staple the finer the fabric. Ninety percent of the world's cotton crop is American upland cotton, which is not suited for "good" sheets. Egyptian cotton, however, is a long-staple variety. Growers in the U.S. have developed Egyptian varieties known as Pima cottons.

—The thread count. This refers to the number of threads per square inch. The higher the thread count the finer the quality of the sheet. The highest count made in the U.S. is 310. European sheets can go much higher. "High-quality" sheets start at about a 200 thread count. Beware of double ply. Some manufacturers cheat by counting a two-ply yarn twice in order to up the thread count.

—The hand. This term, "hand," refers to how the fabric feels. A sheet can be made of 100 percent cotton with a high thread count but feel stiff and coarse against the skin. It all depends on the way the fabric is woven, who weaves it (Italians are known for being good weavers) and the finishing process — which can involve water, heat or chemicals, as well as the dyeing process. The only way to rate the "hand" of a sheet is to touch it.

Finding bargains on great sheets requires knowledge and patience. Once you know your brands, terms and regular prices, you'll be able to recognize great deals at walk-in discount stores — such as T.J.Maxx, Marshalls, Costco and HomeGoods — and also online, at sites such as Overstock.com. But here's a hint: Never order sheets online that cannot be returned should they not meet your full expectations.

Mary Hunt is the founder of www.DebtProofLiving.com and author of 18 books, including her latest, "Can I Pay My Credit Card Bill With a Credit Card?" You can e-mail her at mary@everydaycheapskate.com, or write to Everyday Cheapskate, P.O. Box 2135, Paramount, CA 90723. To find out more about Mary Hunt and read her past columns, please visit the Creators Syndicate Web page at www.creators.com.

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