Budget Friendly Engagement Ring Tips

If you’re planning a sensational proposal for your sweetheart then presumably you’ll have already thought about what type of ring you’re going to present. These days, it’s fairly common for the lady to choose her own ring, but that spoils the element of surprise. If you have known your girlfriend for a long time you should have been listening to all of the little hints that she’s been casually dropping, and you should be fully aware of her favorite gemstone, the type of gold she prefers and the kind of setting that she favors. If however, you have not been taking the hints, then you could have your work cut out, especially if you’re on a limited budget. So read this budget friendly engagement ring tips guide thoroughly and ask any questions you need as we’ll be happy to help.

The Budget Friendly Engagement Ring Tips Lowdown

1. Establish Her Preferred Style

If you genuinely don’t have a clue what style of ring to go for then you really need to take her best friends out for a coffee and take their advice. Of course, you must swear them to secrecy so that they won’t let the cat out of the bag and spoil your romantic intentions. Once you’ve established what she really likes, you need to shop around and try and locate something which would fit the bill but also stay in budget.

2. Stick To The Budget

Before you start browsing in jewelry stores, have a fixed idea of how much you want to spend and don’t allow yourself to be swayed. Salespeople are good at making potential fiancés feel guilty and may try and make them feel that the amount of love that you have for your woman should be tied to how much you should spend on a ring. If you’re firm with sales assistants they’ll soon get the message and will only display rings in your price range. Showing this inner strength will prevent you from over stretching your budget.

3. Do Your Research

If your loved one has her heart set on a diamond then it’s best to go online and read as many tips as you can about selecting the most affordable diamond. For example, a diamond which has a high cut and color but a slightly lower clarity can be much less expensive to buy. Alternatively you could ask for a ring which has a stone that covers more surface area. The stone won’t sparkle as much but it will look more impressive.

4. Be Prepared To Compromise

If you genuinely can’t afford a full on solitaire diamond ring then perhaps choose her birth stone as the center setting with smaller diamonds flanking either side. This will show that you’ve put a lot of thought into the ring and the chances are that she will love it because you thought of it. Alternatively, you could ask for diamonds which are slightly less than the next carat, for example a diamond of 0.8 carats instead of 1 carat or 1.9 instead 2 carats. This small compromise could mean the difference between being able to afford a diamond ring or not.

5. Fake It – But Only Temporarily

The chances are that your girlfriend is fully aware that you don’t have an endless supply of money. This being the case you could buy a fake diamond in sterling silver and pass it off to friends, family and colleagues as a platinum diamond ring. There are some incredibly believable pieces these days because many wealthy people demand fake jewelry to take away with them on vacation, so consequently many jewelers provide this high end costume jewelry. They tend to have the exact same sparkle as diamonds but at a fraction of the cost. The beauty is that you can continue saving for the real deal but still enjoy making your girl your fiancée.

6. Look In Antique Shops

There’s never been a better time to buy an antique engagement ring for your girlfriend because vintage is so in vogue and has been for some time. An antique ring will offer unusual settings and a rare beauty which modern jewelry store rings don’t have. The ring will most probably be a ‘one off’ and will have a history attached to it which makes it more interesting and exciting. Most ladies would love something really different like this, so antique rings are definitely worth consideration when on a budget. Remember to plan ahead and make the proposal really unforgettable. At the end of the day it doesn’t really matter how much the ring costs, it’s the sentiment attached which is important. Be a gentleman and ask her father for his permission to marry his daughter. Your girl will be very impressed and touched when she discovers that you have acted so gallantly.