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How much to spend on an engagement ring?

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  1. Lehman Lehman is offline

    Tampa, FL
    United States

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 7:50pm)

    I am looking into getting an engagement ring for my girlfriend and was wondering about how much I should spend? I have a buddy who took out a loan for 10k just for an engagement ring and he makes about as much $ as I do and I thought that spending that much on just an engagement ring is a little fucking ridiculous. Just to give you an idea I work 40+ hrs/wk@ $24.60/hr and I might be laid off work 1-3 months out of the year depending on how work is going.
  2. jtown1010 jtown1010 is offline

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 7:52pm) in reply to Lehman

    $3-4,000
  3. rock28 rock28 is offline

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 7:52pm) in reply to Lehman

    3 - 5k is plenty, you can get a nice ring for that.
  4. wowswift wowswift is offline Fold to cash, skeet to win.

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 7:53pm) in reply to Lehman

    they say 2 months salary is a good range...rly depends on what you can afford as monthly payments. unless you're gonna buy the fucker out right

    but 5k is the min
  5. randomfrost randomfrost is offline

    Washington, DC
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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 7:53pm) in reply to Lehman

    <TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=2 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD>wait until you are ready, the time will come. everyone is unique, if marriage scares you right now, don't do it, wait. this isn't something someone can really give you advice on </TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>
  6. baughman baughman is offline

    Cincinnati, OH
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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 7:53pm) in reply to jtown1010

    dont they say 1 months pay? or is it 3 months pay? How come this isnt the same for the guy? My ring is a $50 ring from Wal-mart. I actually like it tho. Just a plain gold ring
  7. Lehman Lehman is offline

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 7:55pm) in reply to randomfrost

    classic
    Thread Starter
  8. Lehman Lehman is offline

    Tampa, FL
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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 7:56pm) in reply to wowswift

    I will probably just pay outright as I cant see paying interest when I have the money in the bank. Is the combo meal the way to go or should I buy the eng./wedding ring seperate?
    Thread Starter
  9. wowswift wowswift is offline Fold to cash, skeet to win.

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 7:59pm) in reply to Lehman

    it makes it easier later to get them together unless you're getting a simple setting then a band usually isn't hard to find. but sometimes the shit is so different its weird trying to match a good band to the engagement ring. they have some nice combos though, always depends on what you're looking for. just when you shop, plan for getting the diamond swapped cuz they will show you some shit, the diamond isn't the right one, then you gotta wait a week for them to change it out.
  10. ibarrio ibarrio is offline

    Surprise, AZ
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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 8:01pm) in reply to Lehman

    Quarter...for a gum ball machine ring.
  11. Seykota Seykota is offline

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 8:01pm) in reply to Lehman

    You can get a nice ring for less than 10k. Use the difference to pay for the wedding or something else more useful.

    Here's an article that states two months salary is the average used to spend on an engagement ring. I calculated your two month salary, and it comes to $7872. This is pre-tax. After tax, in the 25% tax bracket you are around $5904. Use the after tax numer if you want a general guide. I still think you can get a nice ring for less than this :)

    http://www.diamondengagementweddingr.../ringcosts.htm
  12. Lehman Lehman is offline

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 8:01pm) in reply to baughman

    I heard 10 weeks pay but I dont think I can stomach upwards of 6k on an engagement ring. I wias thinking around 3-4k but I am a cheapass and was looking for what others would pay/paid. Ive been kind of dodging buying one for a while though and everytime I would get some extra money I would buy a new toy just to get out of it but I think she is catching on. Now that she knows that I won 10k 2 weeks ago I think she is expecting one sometime soon.
    Thread Starter
  13. MissBecky MissBecky is offline if you're nasty

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 8:02pm) in reply to Lehman

    if you have a costco where you live, i recommend shopping there for your ring. they have the lowest mark-up and all of their diamonds are guaranteed to be of the highest grade. ex..color, cut, and crt.
  14. Lehman Lehman is offline

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 8:06pm) in reply to Seykota

    My calculations if doing it by 2 months will deduct taxes, any overtime earnings, gas to go to work, and the 2.30/hr they put into a savings account.
    Thread Starter
  15. WillieDM3 WillieDM3 is offline

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 8:22pm) in reply to Lehman

    The ring people will say something like 3 month's salary. You'd have to be a damn fool to actually spend that.
     
  16. cmval cmval is offline

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 8:26pm) in reply to WillieDM3

    You can get really nice rings for $2-3k..... You can also buy a loose diamond and have it set in a band. Sometimes this is cheaper depending on where you go.
  17. randomfrost randomfrost is offline

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 8:30pm) in reply to WillieDM3

    Weddings, like the education system, are just an elaborate pyramid scam.

    All true meanings of the aforementioned traditions and upbringings have lost their value in this day and age.

    Keep drinking the Splenda, the lot of you!

    <OBJECT height=350 width=425><PARAM NAME="movie" VALUE="http://www.youtube.com/v/LJzyClYT8S8"><PARAM NAME="wmode" VALUE="transparent"> <embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/LJzyClYT8S8" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"></embed></OBJECT>
  18. Believer82 Believer82 is online now

    Las Vegas, NV
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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 8:47pm) in reply to randomfrost

    like 50 cents to 4 bucks you can get them out of game machines or cereal boxes id go for the 4 dollar one if I was you dont want to seem cheap.
     
  19. jalman1 jalman1 is offline

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    Jun 21st, 2007 (6/21/2007 8:52pm) in reply to Believer82

    107 3
  20. ruffdeezy ruffdeezy is offline

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    Jun 22nd, 2007 (6/22/2007 3:40am) in reply to Lehman

    I spent 11k on mine, was a lot, but it is really nice and she loves it. Look online for good deals
    bluenile.com is a good one and there are a couple others. Make about the same as you do, but dont take a loan, pay cash. If you don't have the cash, wait a little bit unless you are in a rush.
  21. alden167 alden167 is offline

    Portland, OR
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    Jun 22nd, 2007 (6/22/2007 3:49am) in reply to ruffdeezy

    Yeah, I paid about 6-7K for mine. I put it on a zales card... 0 interest for a year but, after the year, all the interest is due from the previous year. Which would have been over 1K but, won some tournaments an dpaid that off.
  22. tmac456 tmac456 is offline

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    Jun 22nd, 2007 (6/22/2007 4:09am) in reply to alden167

    im sure you could find one in there
  23. MissBecky MissBecky is offline if you're nasty

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    Jun 22nd, 2007 (6/22/2007 5:35am) in reply to tmac456

    pluv's mom told him to buy me a cz...said i would never know the dif. true story.
  24. KingPariah KingPariah is offline

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    Jun 22nd, 2007 (6/22/2007 5:36am) in reply to jtown1010

    about 1$

  25. keylight keylight is offline

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    Jun 22nd, 2007 (6/22/2007 5:39am) in reply to MissBecky

    "as much money as you're comfortable putting in a brown paperbag, lighting on fire, and throwing out the window of your car" - jimmy kimmel
  26. haleike haleike is offline

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    Jun 22nd, 2007 (6/22/2007 6:05am) in reply to keylight

    No matter what you get or spend, make sure you exceed her expectations. If you are marrying a girl where that will be impossible, please use a small paper bag when following Kimmel's advice.

    The amount that you will need to spend should obviously be based on what you can afford. Not really a good idea to do payments...pay cash or pay it off quickly.

    You will have to determine what carat size, clarity, color, and shape that will exceed her expectations. No need to get anything too over the top. It needs to be something she can comfortably wear.

    What size rings does she have now? What size diamonds does she already own? What shaped diamonds does she like?

    My wife is petite so I chose clarity, color and shape over carat weight. I really can't see buying a visibly flawed diamond.

    I ended up buying her an emerald cut diamond. They tend to be cleaner and better stones than most cuts since flaws are more difficult to hide in an emerald cut. About 1 -2 months salary for me at the time.

    Now on the flip side, for our 10th Anniversary I went over the top.

    For now, I would spend the extra money on the honeymoon or the new digs.

    And Congratulations!
  27. rain_k rain_k is offline

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    Jun 22nd, 2007 (6/22/2007 6:12am) in reply to haleike

    What size rings does she have now? What size diamonds does she already own? What shaped diamonds does she like? ...really the best advice.

    You need to know what type of jewelry she's happy with and you both need to be happy with the outcome. Don't spend more than you're comfortable spending.

    Not all women wear diamonds.
  28. b_in_atl b_in_atl is offline

    Smyrna, GA
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    Jun 22nd, 2007 (6/22/2007 8:06am) in reply to Lehman

    Dude, dont let people talk you into paying $7000 or more for an engagement ring. Buy what you can afford right now and do not put it on a payment plan. Any woman that expects you to be paying off her ring for the next 3 years is one you can do without. After 5 or so years at most resputable diamond dealers they will allow you to trade in and upgrade to something bigger. As others have said you can find a nice ring in the $2000 - $5000 range.
  29. Bigk975j Bigk975j is offline

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    Jun 22nd, 2007 (6/22/2007 8:08am) in reply to Lehman

    15% of your gross income.
  30. DexterCain DexterCain is offline

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    Jun 22nd, 2007 (6/22/2007 9:24am) in reply to Bigk975j

    depends on how much you like her obv
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