Practical things that The Sycamores could use...

When you go to buy a bed, remember this: everything in life is a negotiation. What they're asking is never what they'll settle for, and only suckers pay it. I got my queen size for $725 down from an asking price of $1,300 (on sale from $2,000, of course - it's a Serta Perfect Sleeper). A good tactic is "give it to me for $xxx and I'll buy it now" - that one always seems to work. They'll haggle it, of course, but if you hold your ground, you should be good to go.

I'm kinda wary of buying used mattresses, but you can always go that route too and save a boatload of money.