How Much Should I Be Spending On An Engagement Ring?

[@user-cv3gd2wr5q]

I bought my wife’s ring for about $1,200. I made about $70,000 a year at the time. It’s about 3/4 of a karat. I told her the plan is to buy a larger ring at our 10 or 15 or 20 year anniversary (we’re at 15 years now). My wife said “no way, you gave me this one and I love this one”. She still feels that way today even when she’s around other women with like 3 karat diamonds on their finger. I’ll never let her go!

[@Duffle27]

@@RJ12347 *Keep her

[@k-mart7475]

*update* They divorced 😔

[@nolongeramused8135]

My wife and I are coming up on our 20th, and she wants something new. Went through the jewelry she inherited from her mother and found a large, nearly perfect diamond in an "meh" setting - recycling diamonds is the way to go.

[@ajb7530]

Kal El, you have a keeper in your wife. Sounds like she isn't materialistic, which is a great sign. Your very lucky.

[@kp782]

@@k-mart7475 how do you know?

[@DanielIles]

*“They say 3 years salary”* -Michael Scott

[@bencorwin]

Hahahaha I forgot about that.

[@drooknight5454]

Lol was just thinking that

[@RS-rk3kq]

😂😂😂

[@random-nz7dy]

That's the first thing I thought about when I saw this headline LOL

[@Nicoe0987]

🤣😂

[@hirambright9357]

They say you spend two months salary on an engagement ring. I chose the two months I was unemployed lol.

[@jeremiahnji6]

Hiram Bright genius!

[@deepfakesforreal9487]

As a rule of thumb, I have DECIDED to NOT spend anything over one monthly income on anything other than a house or Gob forbid, a medical emergency. In other words, if I make 60K a year, which comes down to 5k a month, I wouldn't buy anything over 5K (including car). That's just my formula and it seems to work well so far. As for an engagement ring, I wouldn't work a week for an engagement ring, in other words, with the same 60k a year , I wouldn't buying anything over 1200. Even that's a stretch , mine cost me less than $500 and I still think it was a stupid spend!

[@caelenow2829]

TheLastSamurai you sound like not much fun

[@deepfakesforreal9487]

@@caelenow2829 Depends on what you call fun. I am involved in local community, lead a tech meetup group in my city, play volleyball and spend quality time with my kids. I have traveled to the US, Africa and Asia (...already this year, before the lockdowns, I have been to Nepal, Malaysia, & the Philippines) . I have what I need in life. Live rent free, work from home, with a decent salary...and have a year of living expenses saved. I mean, I could have more fun (we never have enough of it) but I feel more at ease with this sort of safety net than any adrenaline inducing 'fun'.

[@ryanweston9677]

You’re still overpaying

[@bigpicturethinking5620]

Brace yourselves for the comments full of people saying their ring is a piece of thread and they have been happily married for 80 years.

[@CKCrippledKnight]

Been married 10 First ring was 150 Second one was 350

[@ig7639]

Big Picture Thinking 😂😂

[@karmichaelblue]

Haha. It’s true though, isn’t it? The more someone cares about the price and prestige of a ring, the less likely that they care as much about the person they’re marrying...

[@missin3322]

😂 you are right the comment section is flooded

[@Dance1617]

The studies do reflect this.

[@user-td7xf3gz4l]

My cousin's wife makes 415k. He makes 380k. He paid 2k for the ring. It's worked out great.

[@lucasr9156]

JJ What do they do

[@alexanderwright5246]

Yes please tell

[@anthonyc362]

Alex Wright what do they do?

[@Imsoo188]

Score! 😂

[@peter-jm1pu]

I want to be like your cousin, teach me how to pull in 380k mate.

[@roudiamondgh92]

To the ladies out there. Do not pressure a man to buy you an expensive ring. When you two get married his debt (the ring) becomes your debt. Therefore you will be paying for your own ring. Let him get you what he can afford or is comfortable with paying. It's just jewelry.

[@Tunechi65]

Wish everyone knew this lol

[@jlovesj3335]

deadass

[@divertiti]

Any woman who pressures you for anything expensive is not worth marrying

[@purplex_purple7717]

Thank you for saying that

[@aylex1974]

Yeah he knows how much he can expend on this lifetime investment and you’re right with who’s gonna be their debt when they get married

[@danielb2910]

Just bought my girlfriend of 4 years a diamond ring for $2000. I’m 23 and currently making $70,000. Hearing Dave say this gave me a sigh of relief because I’ve never spent that much on a person but she deserves it all!!

[@VinodhBallout6711]

Good on you bro

[@HarryBalsonya-db7tn]

Did you propose?!

[@morganapendragon1650]

My husband’s dad gave him the advice that if you can’t pay cash for it, don’t get it. I’ll never understand why people go into debt for a ring...it’s not worth it!

[@mnunez1618]

I was able to afford my ring in cash, but I paid with a rewards Visa, then paid that off! Still 0% interest, except you get a few extra bucks on the side. But, I get what you meant - don't get into debt for a ring.

[@morganapendragon1650]

Mario N. Ooh! I like your system.

[@regul8or71]

You already know the answer, you just don’t realize it. The answer is: people are stupid and irresponsible, and are too concerned about impressing people.

[@richman117]

truew ive known people who had to give it back for lack of payment after. Thats so much worse that the girl wears this ring shows it off and then has to give it back

[@csx6910]

I want to know why it's the man buying these silly baubles. Waaayyy too much investment from one party.

[@mirandaholley9797]

The wedding ring does not make the marriage!

[@anthonyc362]

Miranda Holley too bad most women don't think that way.

[@robynjoy910]

What type of women are y’all dating?

[@humanRace615]

Good women who value physical & mental love instead of materialistic things. Most women like to boast and brag about a nice & expensive rings. But aren't happy with the person that they're marrying.

[@DaWiTtLeR]

It’s about what the ring symbolizes not what the ring is made of or how much it cost

[@ryanweston9677]

Queen Me ones that I’ll never marry

[@clericstorm2009]

I knew my wife was my soul mate when she said she considers expensive jewlry and and expensive wedding a waste of money. She said to just save the money. We have been married 13 years and are on the cusp of $1 million net worth.

[@pawsnotclaws2772]

clericstorm2009 smart!!

[@ShashankNimjeshanky]

Stay blessed you two!!! 💚🙏🙌

[@humanRace615]

Beautiful 🙏🏾🙏🏾 I love it!

[@TedPatrickBaird]

Congrats!

[@NoRecourse1785]

Haha, that sounds like my wife and I. We're doing great, and I hope that we're doing as well as you two are in 13 years time!

[@sherrieludwig508]

Ask HER what she wants in a ring. When my now husband popped the question, he asked me to go ring shopping with him. He had just bought me a pretty turquoise Navaho ring. I said let's call that the engagement ring. We had matching plain sterling silver wedding rings. We are closing in on 45 years. She might prefer a ruby, or not really care.

[@kp782]

I agree!!

[@littleripper312]

Exactly because she might not even want a 2-3k ring. I know a lot of people who got rings under 1k and some even for a few hundred because they didn't want their husbands blowing thousands on a ring. One of them that got a $200 ring plan to upgrade it in the future but didn't want to waste so much money when they were in their 20's.

[@peaceness888]

This is true. I told my boyfriend I want to wear my grandmother's engagement ring. She is a role model for me and had an incredibly loving, strong, and long-lasting marriage to my grandfather. It may be a modest ring, but the meaning is very valuable to me. I would prefer that over a brand new $3k ring. (As a bonus it also costs us nothing!)

[@nleem3361]

Sounds beautiful. I love a unique ring. It's so much more meaningful that way. Plus there are so many other beautiful stones out there.

[@bencorwin]

Dave's advice is so uniquely spot on and slices through all of the societal advice that leaves you dead broke. I've always been told 3 months pay, which is criminal. Save up for a house!

[@juliamarlin5612]

I would be terrified to even wear a ring worth that much.

[@scarpfish]

That three month salary "guideline" was made up by the DeBeers thugs, not some independent standard.

[@Dance1617]

It's absolutely insane right. People will pay 10 grand plus for a ring 40 grand on a wedding but not have a down payment for a house. It's insane.

[@rayjgold]

@Khemra I think it is engagement......the wedding band is just a band......the ring with the diamond is usually the expensive one.

[@rayjgold]

No, this is terrible advice. If you cant buy a new car until you are a millionaire, you shouldn't be able to spend a month salary on a ring until you are the same.

[@kyleavanstyn7889]

My engagement ring was $137 and I love it and cannot think of a more precious thing! My husband gets embarrassed when I tell people the price but I don’t think there could be anything more perfect. And I don’t think I would want to upgrade anytime soon. Maybe have a necklace that goes with it but we are both proud that we were able to cashflow our wedding and honeymoon while paying extra on his home.

[@ep_aesthetics5917]

You’re a keeper

[@jasminecontreras7341]

Yay!!! :)

[@michaelryan2208]

If your husband gets embarrassed when you tell people then why do you tell people

[@touchtone101]

​@@michaelryan2208bingo.

[@DutchWestFilms]

I'd be proud of the $137 💍. That's such a cool story!!!

[@miketheyunggod2534]

The ring is a symbol of your love; not a symbol of your wealth.

[@EyeAmCoa]

My wedding ring cost $138 on sale at JC Penny’s!! We were broke and in love! Fast forward 15yrs and I have the same ring! I could have upgraded it ONE MILLION TIMES by now but 1. I love it cuz it reminds me of where we were and 2. Diamonds are man made in a lab and are pushed on the masses as a precious stone when it is not!! We need to wake up people! Everything is a 💰grab!!!

[@HelloWorld1947]

Not only that but like actor Lenorado Dicapiro said in the movie Blood Diamond, "I will never wear a ring on my finger that cost someone else their hands." There is no conflict associated with gold, that's what i wear, and we bought it right here in CA from an old family business that started during the gold rush. No pain and suffering associated with it.

[@Tigersfan829]

Mine was $20 at an antique store and she picked it out herself

[@ryanm1630]

Eye Am Coa not all diamonds r man made lol

[@EyeAmCoa]

Ryan M and lol if you think there are mined diamonds On sale to the public lol lol

[@yoleeisbored]

lol i want a walmart ring

[@RebeccaDawson]

When I got married, my engagement ring was $200. It’s made with gold and had 7 tiny diamonds. I wear it till today. 10 years from then, we are doing better and my husband wants to upgrade my ring. We’ll spend $8000. He desires to do this and I’m happy to allow him to. Point being, you don’t have to begin a marriage with an expensive ring. Work together to build financial freedom and then, if you like, buy some nice things for yourself and the person you love.

[@RJ12347]

Lol 8k ring Smh

[@ammar3094]

@@RJ12347 price of my amazing car yikes

[@luckycharm1]

Exactly my thought too. I'm currently looking to get her a $200 ring. It shouldn't be the ring that holds us but the love. So if she wants a more expensive ring then she's definitely not in love with me and can go find someone else that will take a loan for her. Lol

[@oldgeezer2780]

My late husband wasn't the cleverest at finances when we met. His buddy offered to sell him the [very modest] engagement ring he had from a failed relationship, and even let him take it before it was totally paid. We had some rough years, but I never forgot that when we met, my husband got THAT ring because he didn't want to wait to propose.

[@MrSmallANDLoud]

Engagement rings are artificially inflated in price, as they control the supply stream. waste of money.

[@jimjames335]

I saw a documentary about diamonds a few years ago. Do not have the specific reference. It was historical and informative. Basically clever marketing people made them valuable. They are not rare or difficult to mine but the western world bought into it and has not woken up to it. Diamonds can and are made in labs for industrial tools like cutting stone. They are definitely a rip off for jewelry. They make for a better cutting tool

[@YouTube_stole_my_handle]

Diamonds point blank. Sell gold jewelry back, you only lose the price of craftsmanship. Sell diamonds back, they'll laugh at you. Hours after "educating" you on their value.

[@suckmyass7368]

The result of women being manipulated by the diamond industry.

[@EyeAmCoa]

Jay Snevets ABSOLUTELY diamonds man made in a lab! Public manipulation as usual

[@Ken-iu2zp]

MrSmallANDLoud Of course, but you tell all of this to a woman and she will say you're a cheap man who doesn't care about her. As men, we have to so it. Regrettably....

[@lamp5matt]

Dang I'd love to invent a pointless luxury item and then convince literally everyone that they *must* spend 2-3 months' income on it.

[@jacqueline716]

Basically follow the DeBeers mining company model then: have a monopoly on the item and then artificially inflate the prices and then run a huge campaign telling people to save several months worth of their income on this supposedly rare (but in reality, not rare) item.

[@imayjustsay]

You can, you American men are so easy to fool nowadays!

[@dwalker885]

Welcome to the dream, always in debt for pointless reasons

[@onin-zh2wm]

iPhone 12?

[@cg741graf5]

@@onin-zh2wm exactly or the newest gaming system but a ring…whoooi Nelly that’s nutz. 🤣

[@jjf1058]

I bought a $130 with life time warranty + tax included on my wife wedding ring 10 years ago, the ring is still on her finger and in good shape and we are having a very blessed life together. I love you my Lena 🌹🌹🌹

[@schuylergeery-zink1923]

I make monthly $3200 take home pay, my fiancé around $2000. Our engagement ring cost $2200 total with tax. Decided to get a man-made diamond. You can get a higher quality and bigger diamond for less money that way. The only difference is the resale value, but as Dave said 1) it’s like furniture anyway and 2) I don’t care about that bc it’s a ring I hope to have forever symbolic of our marriage, not an investment. 💍 💎 ♥️

[@zibzo7180]

I'd say at a minimum, all of your retirement money.

[@forcedair92gt94]

You'll give that in the divorce.

[@janettetimms8650]

Lol behave😂

[@happysunshine5906]

😅😅😅

[@chimdiBAM]

Sounds like good advice to me

[@VinodhBallout6711]

Nice one bro 😂😂😂😂

[@ThaGlittersAintGold]

“If the size/price of the ring matters then there is something else wrong”- Dave

[@colin1818]

The 3 months salary thing is literally nothing but a marketing campaign from a diamond company. It's proof that if you say something over and over and over that people think it's true.

[@ambassador.to.Christ]

"Diamonds are intrinsically worthless" - DeBeers Chairman Nicky Oppenheimer 1999

[@RoyArrowood]

They work great on diamond drill bits. Otherwise there is no reason to buy one

[@bigpicturethinking5620]

Diamonds are anything but intrinsically worthless. As jewelry they are intrinsically worthless.

[@benson8686]

There's demand for them, therefore there's value.

[@ashleycnossen3157]

Hey man, so is a $100 bill.

[@Norm475]

They are great on a grinding wheel.

[@user-qp8vu6sx8l]

Plot twist his gf watches dave Ramsey

[@GottuboiBeachVolleyball]

😂🤣😂💍Good plot

[@user-qp8vu6sx8l]

@@GottuboiBeachVolleyball haha

[@MikeOnaBike]

He said 1-2 years. It will still be a surprise.

[@eurekahope5310]

It could save him from her having the expectation of 3 months salary or whatever the jewelry stores propagandize.

[@joshuatate5671]

😂

[@Aris-Darling]

Love this. This is so funny too! “There is no correlation between the size of the Diamond and the success of the marriage” 😂

[@AC-qi9wo]

My husband spent a few hundred on my engagement/wedding ring it's diamond with Sapphire, my birth stone . 10 years later a friend got engaged and he spent $2500.00 on a Big Diamond ring and the marriage lasted 18 months, were going strong still 25 this year. I didn't need a huge ring, and I still love it to this day :) Yes, he's gotten me rings , over the years but my wedding is the one I cherish the most.

[@DMBVR4]

I saved and spent 3 months salary on my wife's engagement ring. It'll be with her forever, looking at it all day every day for life... don't skimp out. It's just one of the only things that's worth the extra cost imo. If you go and change the ring later, it muddles the visual reminder of the most exciting moment of the girl's life. Just my view on it.

[@AaronHernandez-xv4qh]

3 months salary sounds ludicrous lol

[@prissybell16]

No it depends on the woman and how much the man makes. If my husband bought me a ring 3times his monthly salary I wouldn't even want to wear it except for special occasions. I'd prefer a simple band.

[@aaronosborn7395]

Matt McLoughlin it does not matter how much you spend on your wife’s ring it comes off just as easy with soap and water as a cheap ring haha

[@jacqueline716]

@@trustthe_process4371 It has nothing to do with "American culture" actually --- in fact, the "three-month rule" for engagement rings originated from campaign ads by DeBeers, the British diamond mining company that still has a monopoly on diamonds and therefore artificially inflates the prices for this not-so-rare, overpriced rock....

[@Vanquish39]

Ur good man, a lot of cheap guys in this chat. I think spending 10k on a ring is fine. It's your wife already all and she ain't worth $1000

[@shaldana]

Don't do what my ex did: Got his mom's engagement ring from her first (of three) husbands. I didn't care what it looks like or what it costs, but it was from a woman who hated me, and from one of her divorces. The thought behind that ring was so shallow. He went to mommy & asked for a ring. I'd have been happy with nothing over that ring. Guys: Don't spend a ton of money. Your girl will be happy with something small & you can upsize later when you've got more money. If she whines, she's a princess. You can do better.

[@judithneeley5229]

"She's wearing a headlight on her hand", too funny. "1/4 carat and it worked just fine" too funny. Good call. Informative, great humor thrown in, too.

[@dave-0295]

I took my fiancé to the jewelry store and let her choose. It was on sale to begin with. When I bought it I was able to get her engagement ring, wedding band, and my ring for 1,200. So, deals are out there.

[@DarthBane-zf8wv]

I got a 1.93 Carat VS1 F Color ring for $1600. Lab diamonds are so cheap now! No need to go huge. Even if you need 18K Gold and a 3 Carat VVS ring you’ll be safely within budget. If you see this comment and need help shopping wholesale, just reply here and I can guide anyone!

[@ShawnNDaHood]

I bought a 1-7/8 CT. T.W. Marquise-Cut Lab-Created Diamond Frame Split Shank Bridal Set in 14K White Gold for $1800 ..

[@alecpratt8165]

"You know what they say 3 years salary"- Michael Scott

[@TJWillis13]

Can I also say, you CAN get an engagement ring for under $1000. Mine cost $500, and as Dave says, it makes me smile. The cost wasn’t the key to making me smile - the fact that it’s tailored to me is. I didn’t want a diamond, I wanted a unique design, and I wanted something I could actually wear every day and not snag on every other thing I touched. I ended up with a garnet set into a gold and white gold puzzle ring, and I ADORE it. Don’t fall for ‘traditional’ designs just because that’s what’s recognized as an engagement ring. Just buy a ring she’ll love and will want to wear on her left ring finger.

[@ultramarinewaters9325]

CJ Willis I would love to see your ring! It sounds so unique!

[@eurekahope5310]

Good point. I have a friend with a lovely pearl engagement ring. She adores it! It cost a few hundred dollars and they have been married almost 20 years.

[@pipr5070]

Zero correlation with the size of the diamond and length of marriage. Very true

[@astrea79]

Guys, it's also fine to talk to your fiance about what they want before buying a ring. Even just managing expectations is helpful. I talked to my husband about how much I thought we should spend on wedding rings. Like the caller, my spouse makes a modest salary and it just doesn't make sense to spend more than a months salary on one ring. Even if it is an engagement ring. It's not romantic to go into debt before that marriage has started.

[@caseys.7804]

When we got engaged, he had me to go with him to pick out a ring. I don't like diamonds, so I picked out a morganite ring with a rose gold band. It was $1200 and sale for $900. I asked if there was anyway we can get it cheaper, and they gave it to us for $700. That's includes a lifetime of inspections and anything that needs to be fixed. We were thrilled! More than what I wanted him to spend, but it was the only one that truly made me smile. Its been 3 years and I still get many compliments.

[@analan3966]

...what did you do to make it that much cheaper!?

[@caseys.7804]

@@analan3966 I jokingly asked the salesperson and she asked the manager. The manager said we could get $200 off the sale price. Prices for jewelry can sometimes be talked down. I did that a couple times.

[@danielafiorino1678]

My fiancé bought me an $8k ring on a teachers salary. I’m a nurse and together we have 200k in savings for the house we’re looking to buy in the next 6 months. our only debt being the 10k I owe on my car. And we live in NJ, it can be done with lots of hard work and being frugal. We pay ourselves first

[@LiveBoi2kfan]

Go for it.

[@lani9294]

Congratulations, May God continue to bless you and your family

[@realtonysolo]

Sell the car.

[@danielafiorino1678]

@@realtonysolo lol I own it now 😘

[@zuzus3]

How many years did it take for you to save up the $200k

[@LookOutside...]

Lol. He tells a 21 year old he's ready to get married before even talking to him.

[@mujtabaalam5907]

He wasn't asked about martiage, he was asked about a ring

[@EagleYT]

Before I watch. The answer is, whatever you can afford.

[@BagsNBaguettes_327]

I love how everyone has an opinion on not getting married or spending a lot on an engagement ring... wonder how many actually follow it.... 🤔

[@jojo-eb1ib]

Ladies love their rings

[@jojo-eb1ib]

Would a woman is happy it makes the guy happy

[@CuteAnimeGirl]

I hate jewelry actually That's why my engagement ring was plastic and my wedding ring is made of my birth stone but it's pretty cheap. I think it's pointless and not even a store of value like gold or silver most of the time. I don't see the value in it.

[@jonb2911]

When he said I make 55K a year and the guy said, "Great job good for you" I felt that. We need to uplift our hard-working brothers out there.

[@JewelBlueIbanez]

Don’t buy pawn shop rings. As a woman I would not feel comfortable wearing someone else’s ring. I don’t need a big expensive ring, but I don’t want a ring that has someone else’s baggage attached to it.

[@OrWhatWeHave]

It gets another life! That's beautiful to me.

[@nolongeramused8135]

You realize that inanimate object aren't imbued with mojo?

[@JewelBlueIbanez]

WhatShipsAreBuiltFor then melt it down and make it into a new ring.

[@laflora166]

Mine was 120€ (around $128), and I am happy with that. It means more money for other things. Who cares about how much it was? Why care about that? It's not the point, the point is getting engaged with the person you love. I didn't even care about the ring, I cared about him proposing to me, was not thinking about the price!

[@germidebrenor6904]

People are too cheap nowadays , if you have the money; nothing is wrong getting a great valuable ring for your soon to be wife. She’s worth that & more

[@RJ12347]

Hope you'll do the same for your husband or future husband as being worthy goes both ways. If you want a 15k ring you should be able to afford the same for him. Too many women demand too much these days and bring very little to the table. It's easy to test someone by buying them an average to see if the person is actually into you or your finances

[@SDot2385]

If you feel like you need to test them, you probably shouldn’t be proposing.

[@aniyagonzalez_]

I guess is agree with you. If you have the money, why not.

[@WIVT]

Dave’s advice is right: $60K income, I just bought a $3600 ring ($900 band - $2700 Lab Grown Diamond) 1.84 Ct oval. With great features & cuts. Slightly less quality grading in color/clarity, but to the human eye, there is no difference. Proposing in 3 days. Felt amazing to pay in cash.

[@rediettadesse2828]

Congrats my bf makes 50k n I told him 1200$ diamond ring..so I think im not over demanding....

[@KelG]

An alternative to diamond is moissanite. It’s cheaper and is rated a 9 out of 10 on the diamond scale. Remember: it’s not a diamond but it is a unique gemstone. With a moissanite you can get your fiancé a 3 carat ring for about 3,000 to 5,000 and it’s still beautiful. Think more about the marriage: a house, kids, a saving fund, etc. My mom always say it’s two people who make up a holy union and marriage, nothing else.

[@bubbaloo_loo_loo]

My fiancé designed my engagement ring and his dad made it. I absolutely love my moissy ring!

[@batkat0]

Mohs Scale

[@nibekus]

I'm happy that my now fiancé is never the flashy type for jewelry. While we were dating before we got engaged, she even said don't spend more than $1,000 on a ring. I was fortunate to find a moissanite dimond bridal set for $900. She was happy about it.

[@booya6437]

Diamonds are worthless

[@tomiasthexder7673]

Exactly...they are used in machinery to dig holes in hard stuff...years ago the Jewish diamond mafia fooled people into thinking they valuable. They are no more valuable than any other rare stone, they just sell you the idea they are valuable.

[@ChosenDeeDee]

“Now the woman wears a headlight on her hand” lol hilarious😂😂😂😂

[@chezshirecat1872]

Ask your girlfriend, diamonds aren’t the choice now a days, my mother’s ring is emerald, my aunts is a ruby-just another way to safe money

I had an ex girlfriend that bought herself an engagement ring right after we broke up. Maybe she wanted to deceive people into thinking she was engaged? I had never proposed but she really wanted to marry me and was really pushy about it. She was horrible at managing money, buying herself a Corvette in her mid twenties when she was still living with her parents. I look back at how each of our lives turned out and I think mine turned out far better than hers, , both romantically and financially.

[@xj53pq7]

My advice is definitely to use a local jeweler. They will give you a much better price and service. I got about twice the ring for the same amount of money.

[@Nonya855]

I purchased the stone for my fiancées ring from a supplier and same with the metal and in total spent about $2k. I designed and made the ring myself. I didn’t buy a diamond I bought a colorless Sapphire and it’s a 2.48 kt. The ring is roughly worth between $5-$10k.

[@PedroRibeiro56792]

Cheat codes for real

[@noncustody]

Spend what you could afford without having to get a loan for a ring. In my case, it was 3k.

[@michellewinkler3985]

My son was getting married. I had a 70 year old antique ring from my grandmother when she passed away in 1989. It's been in sitting in my jewelry box. I never wore it, I guess it was waiting for my daughter in law! I had it cleaned and appraised. It was worth $2500, art deco. After I got it cleaned I thought, why have I never ever worn this, it's so pretty! My daughter in law loves it and it meant a lot to her because it was a family heirloom! Sometimes this is worth a lot more than going out and buying a ring!

[@LL-xx4iq]

Some of these questions...Dave, should I use Charmin or Quilted Northern?

[@joyebriggs]

L L I suspect the answer is to buy what's on sale. :)

[@edkennedy7952]

Part 2 "Should I Wipe Up or Down'

[@snowjae9380]

I bought my own ring (I’m not married yet). It’s a gift to myself after graduating and working long hours at my career. It’s a lab diamond and I went to a jeweler to set it so it’s way cheaper. It makes me smile. That’s the idea behind a ring - what it represents. Set a price and expectations, and agree on it. I told my bf I want a lab one and not a super expensive one ^_^

[@luminous6969]

Have her watch the documentary Blood Diamonds and tell her that you care too much about child slaves to participate in that market by buying a diamond. THINK OF THE CHILDREN!!!!

[@imayjustsay]

Excellent comment. Dave Ramsey should no better as he is a self proclaimed Christian

[@rogersanchez9635]

There better be a couple people that died if I’m paying so much

[@codypanek]

TIA

[@Shooting-Up]

I bet you all have iPhones though Double standards

[@lizbueding2626]

Then get her a lab grown diamond. Most importantly, ASK her what she'd like. Establish a budget beforehand, and take her shopping with you. After all, she's the one who's going to be wearing it.

[@larrybud]

When I got engaged, my wife and I were driving to a golf lesson. We had planned on taking a long vacation with the dogs in August (this was in June). i said "while we're up there, how about we get married?". I then gave her a "ring" made of golf tape that I pulled off my finger... what was her engagement ring. We have the date written on it with a sharpie in our memory box! We then took her old ring from her previous marriage (which is freakin' huge), and put it in a new setting. Cost me about a grand. It was my first marriage, I didn't want the whole shebang, and she didn't either (her 2nd). The wedding itself cost about $800 including the rental on the house (which we were going to rent anyway) and finding a preacher online. We still needed 2 witnesses, and we found two strangers who happened to be looking in on the house next to the one we rented after we got up there. Had a 15 minute ceremony on the beach, busted open a bottle of champagne with our witnesses, and that was it. Bride to be was really worried about finding witnesses, and I said worst case we find a couple of drunks at the local bar and pay them $100 each. :-) True story!

[@kamaraalya7607]

Thanks for sharing! I loved that reading that

[@sweetzs100]

So ghetto. Lol

[@valariemanning7349]

They used the ring from her previous marriage??? WOW!

[@ninata7868]

Sounds like a nightmare

[@goddessmelanisia]

1 week is good enough for a ring. Save your money for a down payment on a house.

[@RickY-gp8gf]

A house is a much better gift!

[@MichaelSmith-fh2nu]

The wifey likes when you spent money on them. It’s worth it cause it makes them smile for years to come. It’s a one time purchase don’t be cheap.

[@KAELIN250]

@@MichaelSmith-fh2nu the ring or the house?

[@Strongpoeticmind]

Godless Melanisia smart

[@RJ12347]

@@MichaelSmith-fh2nu Another man can make them smile also. Stay woke

[@boredoreos]

.23 ct is the Canardly series of diamonds. Canardly see it at all.

[@wfangnxd117]

"If she requires 3 carrots she's probably not a keeper."

[@inabina2925]

wfangnxd117 She may be a bunny. 🐰

[@crittertails7536]

🥕🥕🥕 = 🙅‍♂

[@Norm475]

I gave my wife 10 carrots for our 20th anniversary. She loves the idea.

[@sunshinelawfan7693]

Costco has good deals on diamonds. Also good place for his or hers wedding bands. With or without diamonds...

[@kathleendigregorio1701]

Clark Howard bought his wife a lovely diamond ring at Costco - he shared the receipt with the 20k ring plus white tube socks 🎉

[@sunshinelawfan7693]

Kathleen DiGregorio - yep. That was funny. Wonder if it was a blood diamond...?

[@BagsNBaguettes_327]

Yup. Got our wedding bands here. Nice quality for the best price

[@forcedair92gt94]

Costco sells everything from baby food to caskets. They get you coming in and going out.

[@ashleycnossen3157]

My engagement ring was $300 and my wedding ring was $300. They are both CZ. My wedding and dress combined were probably about $600. We are happily married, but I won't lie, I wish I had a nicer ring and wedding. We plan to upgrade on our 25th anniversary.

[@KS-cl8br]

Thanks for sharing. Why not upgrade now instead of putting up with a ring you don't like for 20+ years? Smart saving on the wedding it's just one day.

[@Giopowered]

🛣

[@1219DSmith]

My gross income allows me to spend roughly $7k on a ring and I think that's a very solid place for an engagement ring. My girlfriend however wants at least a 1.75ct diamond, which from what I've seen, runs at around $10k and up. I really don't want to disappoint her, but frankly I'd rather use the extra money for the wedding, or the honeymoon, or better yet a down payment on a nice house. I'm going to have a talk with her soon. Wish me luck lol

[@Heritagepostfarms]

Run now before you are stuck with her by law

[@alondraacosta-mora6504]

How much you make per year, and how did it all go? You still with her?

[@이예원-u1k]

@@Heritagepostfarmsi dont get why y'all have all these standards for women but a woman can't have a standard with what they want to marry. Everyone has preferences and that is ok stop acting like it's weird

[@pingtayo_ngiwisirectoboy4152]

Any update on your marriage?

[@tossmonkey1]

I spent 3k on my wife's engagement ring she loved it! 😁

[@stoogie375]

Where are the people that think a ring should cost more than $3k ? Even $3k is pushing it

[@stoogie375]

@Kaleen Cunningham (student) Maybe i'm just too pressed on spending so much on a ring ... In reality or rather truth.. I'm just shocked that there's an actual recommend amount to spend when buying an engagement ring... lol I don't even like diamonds.... generic and colorless.. better as an accent. $3k is fine but over that ... holy wow

[@NicolasMiari]

My wife said she didn't want an engagement ring, and that we should instead invest in good wedding rings (gold, no diamonds). Total keeper!

[@chipshuhart2945]

I got my wife an antique platinum ring for $425. We spent $250 on our wedding and she wore a $26 dress. Our marriage is better than anyone we know. How much you spend on "stuff" is meaningless.

[@Norm475]

I've been married 20 years and my wife's boyfriend and I decided to chip in together and buy her a 2-carat friendship ring to celebrate our anniversary.

[@rediettadesse2828]

Is it poly 😅

[@alexnissley9848]

I spent 1.5 months on my wife’s ring. I felt comfortable spending this as I had no debt

[@Skypost4ever]

I just googled what the average is for the cost of an engagement ring and I couldn't believe it. $1200-$2000 seems reasonable. I think it's financially irresponsible to spend more than $5k on an engagement ring.

[@Dannycky96]

$0

[@justins7796]

Amen.

[@BrianaBudgets]

My bf who I have been with 2.5 years says he can’t afford to propose. I have told him I would like moissanite versus a diamond. I don’t care what it’s made of as long as it’s nice to look at. The ring I have in mind is $1,100. He bought a $600 gun a couple of months ago.

[@lizhe2914]

Get a moissanite ring!! They're a really good substitute and they look like diamonds and they're waaaay cheaper! You could get like a 3 carat moissanite for one months salary of that guy.

[@CP-ll6qg]

I think they look even better actually! Shinier.

[@frostychocolatemilkshakes2944]

Why pay so much money for something that’s made in a lab? You can get a great natural ruby/sapphire/emerald for that price

[@jasonblaise6786]

I spent slightly more than Dave recommended but happy to say it was only 15% more than 1 month salary but it was custom and I think she’ll really like it. Best of luck to everyone watching this video!

[@gfdthree1]

Diamonds are not even rare. The supply is hoarded on purpose. It's like oxygen was on the Lorax

[@deepfakesforreal9487]

As a rule of thumb, I have DECIDED to NOT spend anything over one monthly income on anything other than a house or Gob forbid, a medical emergency. In other words, if I make 60K a year, which comes down to 5k a month, I wouldn't buy anything over 5K (including a car). That's just my formula and it seems to work well so far. As for an engagement ring, I wouldn't work 3 days for an engagement ring, in other words, with the same 60k a year , I wouldn't buying anything over $500. Even that's a stretch , mine cost me less than $300 and I still think it was a stupid spend - was before we wised up with budget and future planning !

[@MelanieCap123]

Years ago our son was planing to ask a girlfriend to marry him. He asked his Dad (my husband) what kind of ring he should get. His Dad (a wise man, lol) told him to get her a ring that wouldn't turn her finger green and be done with it, LOL.

[@truffles679]

You can get a nice I color, VS2, 1.00 carat, excellent cut loose round stone for about $3,500 wholesale face value price, if you know where to look. Take it to a jeweler to get it custom set in a nice platinum setting for $500.

[@samrowland2816]

My Fiance is a Goth, blessing and a curse, the ring had to be custom made and shipped halfway around the world, but was actually pretty cheap because it's Black Sapphire not Diamond. With skulls, obviously.

[@bricehatcher8391]

Obviously

[@silo3com]

💀☠️💀☠️

[@aylex1974]

Go with her and ask her what does she loves and work with her with the budget. If she’s considerate with your budget situation she will probably understand. Keep the communication open with your girl. Good luck

[@GeometricMason]

Am I the only one who expected Dave to start screaming "never buy diamonds! they are a rip-off!"

[@calvinatdrifterstudio8438]

My wifi and I spent about $175 on both of our rings. The stones fell out of hers but we still love each other ❤️ I think the ring thing is sort of an indicator of what's important to people. We aren't really into that stuff, we would rather have like a better car or a nice refrigerator. What is the point of a stupid ring? If you think you're wife will be upset if you aren't buying her a huge ring, you might not really know the person you are marrying.

[@mermikk]

If you guys do decide to get another ring for an affordable price, consider modern gents. I think their rings cost from $14-$130 I believe. We got our wedding bands from there.

[@vla179]

My ring was 25k and a very good quality diamond. We make enough money, we could easily afford it. Not planning to buy another ring.

[@carryg580]

25k or 2.5k? You talk about 25k like it’s nothing haha

[@vla179]

@@carryg580 25k = $25 000

[@vla179]

@@carryg580 it's not nothing, it is a lot of money but we decided to pass it on our child in the furniture for his/her engagement and then they have to give it to ther kid etc. We wanted to have a ring which will stay in the family for generations.

[@carryg580]

@@vla179 that’s cool! May I ask what the ring is? Like cut and karat and if it’s just diamond or something else with it? I love jewelry so I’m just curious haha

[@collinpylar1231]

I’m all about financial literacy, but when it comes to a ring I for sure wouldn’t buy one used. You really only plan to buy one once in your life so I would buy a nice one especially because you love this person

[@TheBeautyBible2021]

Totally agree! Life is too long to save money, one doesnt have to be frugal all the time.

[@jvolstad]

A friend of mine is a former auctioneer. She once told me not to waste my money at a Jewelers. Buy a ring at a estate auction. Jewelry for pennies on the dollar.

[@bradleymaravalli2851]

Seen plenty of terrific wedding rings from $900 to $1500 online. Just got to figure out her ring size, sometimes specific to that website/brand.

[@juliamarlin5612]

A real keeper would buy me an engagement amazon stock

[@briannacollie2742]

Awe that's so cute. Personally I wouldn't care about the cost of the ring. Wal-Mart has some cute rings. Don't judge me😊

[@gigi8528]

I’d be happy with a Walmart ring as well

[@briannacollie2742]

@@gigi8528 right!!

[@jimjames335]

I've found buying a gift FOR HER, is more important than the cost. Something that looks good on her, fits well enough and is personal. I usually default to birth stones or colors that she likes.

[@briannacollie2742]

@OPSAT you proposed with no ring? Lol that's not how you do it

[@divinelyfeminine2612]

I found my future engagement ring at Walmart for $40 bucks

[@caitox]

My ring is a cluster diamond, so it's made up of multiple smaller diamonds instead of one stone. It's 0.33 carats in total, but it looks like one big diamond on the finger & still has all the sparkle. Great option if you want the look of an expensive rock at a fraction of the price. I could have replaced it 10x over but I love the memories attached with it!

[@woohyukikkoku]

I was blessed with my husband’s grandmother’s heirloom diamonds. 1 1-carat and 2 2/3-carat. Old-fashioned brilliant cut. We spent less than a $1k on the setting. Perhaps one day, I’ll give them to my son to give to the right girl.

[@lovetobe6118]

I told my now husband that he could only spend no more than $200 on a ring, and I gave a list of a approved stones, none of which included a diamond. He got me a beautiful handmade moonstone ring with engraved silver band, but spent about $250, but I forgave him.

[@retiredmanager1098]

That’s awesome. My friend and his girl got married after many years of dating. They had turquoise rings made for a couple hundred bucks. They used the money they saved to remodel a house and have zero debt, zero student loans, zero car loans and no mortgage after 1 year of marriage. Now they stepped out of high pressure jobs and work part time. While many people in California are saddled with debt. They hike, camp and sightsee. They prove it doesn’t take a lot of money to be happy.

[@lovetobe6118]

@@retiredmanager1098 wise people. I bet they also have a successful marriage.

[@retiredmanager1098]

Charisse Lambert we’ll find out in a few years, they’ve been married 11 months

[@heatherhutchinson3625]

3:00 "just a bunch of garbage" Hahaha I could not agree more.

[@jamesl.7725]

If she has a problem with how much the ring costs that says something about her.

[@Ryan_DeWitt]

Oh it says a WHOLE lot. More than you know...

[@luminous6969]

That can be your litmus test to see if it's worth letting her hitch her trailer to your vehicle.

[@monicabella9507]

True! If she loves you, she’d be contented with just less than $500 ring.

[@mouse879]

U speak fax so true i started off small now my wife have a 1.5k ring

[@azuredragon5464]

How much should you pay for an engagement ring? NOTHING. Love shouldn't be dependent on how much money you spent. If your relationship revolves around your paycheck, that's not love.

[@shibalsekki5237]

Engagement rings = waste of money

[@maxwellspeedwell2585]

Looking back over the decades, my wife and I agree that a nitrided titanium ring with a cubic zerconia stone would have been a better deal. The mark-up is 5x on jewelry.

[@bubbaloo_loo_loo]

I'd have to disagree with you on the cubic zirconia, cubics can look a lot like diamonds BUT they need to be replaced every so often because they become dull and lose their sparkle.

[@streetjustis]

For $3,800 you can get a beautiful 5 carat moissanite ring. Diamonds are intrinsically worthless.

[@One-12937]

You can’t even tell the difference from a $500 and a $10,000 ring. The jewelers can but I mean who cares about that, the average person can’t.