Thursday, December 17, 2009

Looking For an Engagement Ring? Here's How To Save BIG Money!

By Tom W. Mason

You've been preparing for months. You know exactly what you're going to say and where you're going to say it - you're ready to ask her to marry you! You're all set, except for one thing - you don't have the engagement ring yet! You're also working on a small budget, so a cheap engagement ring is what you're looking for. However, is this even possible?

Personally I don't like to use the word cheap when talking about an engagement ring. Instead, I like to say affordable engagement ring. Sounds a lot better doesn't it?

Budget is the first consideration when you're working with a tight budget. Figure out how much you can afford to spend on an engagement ring. Be realistic here; it is going to be a significant expense.

An engagement ring is going to set you back a few bucks. You will probably have to save up for a bit or tap into existing savings. It's a big purchase - and an extremely important one.

Traditionally, about two month's salary should be spent on an engagement ring. However, this may not be possible for you; you may have a lot of other expenses to handle.

If your budget is too limited for this, don't stress too much about it. You can find great diamond engagement rings which are affordable. The key is to try to get the most diamond for your dollar.

My suggestion is to have at least $1000 to spend though. Remember that this is a ring she will wear forever. It is a sign of your committment and love for her - buying it should involve some form of sacrifice. Obviously $1000 is well below the average amount spent, but it can actually take a long ways if you know what to look for.

You can get a lot of good information by going to my website and checking out my Diamond Buying Guide. There's plenty of tips here on getting the best possible ring for the lowest possible price. My guide will help you to make the most of your purchase price.

The first thing you should do is to look for a simple setting. Go with 14 carat yellow or white gold here. If you're on a budget, you don't need to spend the extra money on platinum or 18 carat gold. The bulk of your budget should go towards the diamond, not the setting.

As far as the diamond goes, you want to get the largest diamond possible. While diamonds are graded on many different criteria, you can get an idea of which factors to look for in my Diamond Buying Guide. This information can help you avoid spending too much money for too little diamond.

You can find the perfect ring for that perfect girl without going broke. Remember, an affordable engagement ring is what you're looking for - never tell her it's a "cheap" engagement ring! ;) Happy hunting!

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