Continue to wait or not ?

D3PO

Hi just looking to gather some independent opinions for people that dont know me.

Ive been with my girlfriend for almost 8 years now and I love her to bits. I really want to propose to her the problem I have is that ive not been able to save much cash together for a ring.

Ive only got 2 grand saved and I literally can only put 20 - 30 quid away each month what with the mortgage, credit card and car loan I have.

Should I wait for my financial position to improve so that I can get her a more expensive ring or should I just go for it ? We are 29 & 27 respectively so its not like we dont have time to wait longer. Also how much should I be looking to spend on a ring

cch

2K will get a decent ring definitely - do your research and shop around.
But I would be worried that if getting the ring is causing you so much financial stress that you haven't looked forward to the even-more-expensive wedding that will follow... Could you discuss the details with your fiance-to-be? As a long engagement and/or a small, simple wedding may be a compromise that's required...?

D3PO

cch wrote: »

2K will get a decent ring definitely - do your research and shop around.
But I would be worried that if getting the ring is causing you so much financial stress that you haven't looked forward to the even-more-expensive wedding that will follow... Could you discuss the details with your fiance-to-be? As a long engagement and/or a small, simple wedding may be a compromise that's required...?

yep i hear you with the expensive wedding thing. Im pretty sure that my parents will help significantly with the cost but I dont really feel that I can ask them to help with the ring. To me it feels like something that I need to save for and buy, in the past she has talked about paying for half of the ring but it just doesnt seem right.

does that happen ? I mean should I even consider her putting money towards her engagement ring.

cyning

Getting engaged is not about having the biggest or most expensive ring: I got engaged Christmas last year and my fiancee (sorry still LOVE saying it!) had the ring got (and written letter from the jewellers stating he could bring it back if I didn't like it). Anyway my ring cost €1300 and I adore it! Even if he had spent more I couldn't have been happier: trust your relationship and good luck

How Strange

D3PO wrote: »

Ive only got 2 grand saved and I literally can only put 20 - 30 quid away each month what with the mortgage, credit card and car loan I have.

Should I wait for my financial position to improve so that I can get her a more expensive ring or should I just go for it ? We are 29 & 27 respectively so its not like we dont have time to wait longer. Also how much should I be looking to spend on a ring

OP, what makes you think that €2k is not enough for a ring? You will get a gorgeous ring for that amount.

IMHO, this type of post makes me quite sad. Engagement should be a declaration to the world that you intend to spend the rest of your life together. The ring isn't the centre of the engagement or the main focus. It's part of it.

OP, spend what you can afford so if you can afford €4k then good luck to you. If, on the other hand, you can only afford €1k or €500 then that's what you spend.

I knew my OH had a budget less than yours (his savings) and we picked a ring within that range. I love it and it's perfect and I appreciate completely that he used his savings to buy it.

Also remember the price is negotiable so you will get a discount.

D3PO

guys thanks for all the comments. This is one of those things that you really need other peoples help with that have experience as its a once in a lifetime experience so I havent a clue what I should be spending on a ring.

thanks for all your comments seems to be a consensus that 2k is fine for getting a ring.

amdublin

Absolutely. I think €2k is subtantial amount for an engagement ring. Afterall it is 100% of your savings!

Good luck!!!

prinz

€2,000 is more than enough, much more in fact. Any more IMO is a waste of money to be honest. The ring is supposed to be a life long symbol of commitment etc not a financial investment. I'm sick of people telling me how they got a ring in Antwerp for 5k and had it valued here at 7k... the only question then is are they going to sell it for a profit? Invariably the answer is no, so what's the bloody point then?

Get a gorgeous ring for under 1,000, certainly under 1,500... and enjoy iy.

toadfly

€2000 is plenty, go onto bluenile.com I have my perfect ring picked on there and it was €1700!! I bet your girlfriend will be over the moon esp when she knows you are short of cash.

best of luck, let us know what she says!

shoppergal

I would absolutely say don't wait. I know my OH waited about a year after he wanted to propose because he was waiting to have loads of money to buy me the perfect ring. He did get the money together(less than 2 grand by the way and I consider that loads to spend on a ring) but to be honest I would have been happy if he proposed a year earlier than he did with a cheaper ring.

sweetypie

Hi there,personally i think if you feel the time is right then go for it.you can buy a very nice ring for 2 grand i wouldnt expect my HTB to go out and get himself stressed over the price of a ring.we recently got engaged and like that times are tough for everyone but if its something you both want very much then there shouldnt be a price put on it.go for it she will be delighted with the one you choose!:)

laobhaoise

How Strange wrote: »

IMHO, this type of post makes me quite sad. Engagement should be a declaration to the world that you intend to spend the rest of your life together. The ring isn't the centre of the engagement

Second that. It drives me crazy that people get so distracted by a lump of metal and feel the need to scope out your finger for a diamond :mad: The two of you getting engaged should be about so much more than that.

I proposed to Himself on holiday and we picked up a ring a few days later after wandering into an art gallery. It cost about 60 yoyos. I love it and I'm proud to wear it as a symbol of our commitment, because THAT'S ALL IT IS.

The engagement is not about the ring. Don't let the Wedding Industry Complex, your Auntie Mary or anyone else tell you otherwise.

And just to warn you, the madness starts here. From the moment you get *engaged*, you (or your fiancee) will be besieged with well-meaning requests as to what shade of eggshell her shoes will be and do you not think that that might clash with the chair sashes or your mother-in-law's hat. The whole choosing to spend the rest of your lives together is obviously just a detail.

Ah, wedding planning: what doesn't kill you makes you stronger, eh?

Good luck in your future together!

Breaktown

laobhaoise wrote: »

I proposed to Himself on holiday and we picked up a ring a few days later after wandering into an art gallery. It cost about 60 yoyos. I love it and I'm proud to wear it as a symbol of our commitment, because THAT'S ALL IT IS.

Exactly. My ring cost less than €200 and it's gorgeous and I love it. But the most important thing is what it symbolises. The fact that we want to spend the rest of our lives together is more important the cost of a rock.

dlambirl

+1

Its was the ring symbolises not the cost of it.

It annoys me when (especially girls) go on about the price of the ring and how it needs to be XYZ....

Me and my OH arent engaged yet but we are thinking of it. We always look in jewellers windows and pick out "the ring". A couple of weeks ago we were in H.Samuel and I seen a gorgeous ring - cost €750.00, we looked at H.Samuel and the same ring is £500.

I know some people would turn their nose up at a ring that didnt cost in excess of €1,500 but some people dont have that sort of money and even if they did some prefer to spend it on the wedding day itself. My boyfriend cant find work anywhere and is on JSA and with mortgage & loan barely has enough to get by and therefore hasnt even got £500/€750 to spend on an engagement ring. But if he did I would be delighted. Its what the ring means - he wants to marry me and be with each other forever.... not "this cost €4k"..

OP, if your willing to pay €2k on a engagement ring go for it. It is more than enough to pay for a ring. Your GF is a very very lucky girl.