In the wake of Hurricane Katrina, millions of Louisiana residents have been displaced. Finding housing is a serious problem -- in many areas of Louisiana, it is simply impossible to find a bed. Air beds are a cheap way for displaced citizens to house themselves with friends, in campgrounds, or any other area they can find space.

Areas across Louisiana and beyond have been inundated with residents of New Orleans. In nearby areas such as Lafayette and Baton Rouge, housing markets have been flooded with people seeking a place to stay. When asked about potential housing, real estate agents as far north as Alexandria simply laughed and stated that evacuees should not even come there unless they had family in the area. Many companies have also relocated entire offices from New Orleans to the smaller cities in the immediate vicinity. Some have even gone so far as to simply buy up vast quantities of local housing, pushing affordable space out of the reach of many evacuees. While hotels have spaces available in some areas, many residents cannot afford the expense.

Even with the city reopening, people will have great difficulty finding a place to sleep. Many houses, while no longer underwater, have been flooded with large amounts of water and no longer have a viable place to sleep. Regular mattresses have been ruined, and there simply are not enough beds in the area for even New Orleans residents who choose to return and who can afford it to purchase a new bed. Temporary housing solutions such as air beds allow evacuees to stay with family and friends who might not otherwise have space.

Air beds are generally far cheaper than regular mattresses, and in many cases they are about as comfortable. Information about various air beds and valuable advice for those in the market is available at http://www.airmattressinfo.com. Displaced New Orleans residents should consider the following: Do you have a place to put it? If staying with friends is an option, an air mattress may be better than simply sleeping on the floor. If you don't know anyone with space available, many air mattresses are designed for campgrounds and can be used by the most desperate for a place to stay. The cheapest are available for around $20. Make sure that you have a pump as well to fill it up.