Are you searching for the perfect wedding ring on a budget? Are you looking at all the rings you can possibly find, wondering if you’re ever going to find the right ring at the right price?
The hunt can be challenging, but the good news is that stunning wedding rings don’t have to be expensive. You can get your ideal wedding rings and stick to your budget at the same time.
1. Set your budget and stick to it
If you’re on a budget, make sure you stick to that budget. You can give yourself permission to go slightly over-budget if it’s not much. For instance, it might be okay if you go $200 over your budget.
However, try to avoid that if possible. It’s easy to justify going over your budget with a small amount, and once you get used to that amount, you might be tempted to justify going over by an even higher amount.
Whatever your budget is, stick to that budget no matter what. If you’re tempted to go over by too much, you might be tempted to use your credit card and that’s always a bad idea. Unless you can pay your rings off immediately and you’re only using your credit card to earn points, don’t go into debt to buy your wedding rings.
2. Consider lab grown diamonds
There is a plus side to being on a budget – you can buy wedding rings made with lab grown diamonds at a significant savings compared to mined diamonds. This give you a couple different options. You can either save money or you can buy diamond wedding rings that would cost more if they were mined from the earth.
Choosing lab grown diamonds will give you far more options because you’ll be spending less to get more. You might opt for less expensive diamonds so you can get gold bands, or you might choose rings with multiple diamonds. Whatever your preferences are, choosing lab created diamonds will give you more funds to play with.
3. Shop around
Shopping around is the best way to find your perfect wedding rings on a budget. Although many rings are competitively priced, it’s not just the diamond or other jewel that determines the price. Sometimes brand name jewelers charge more just because they can, but other times the price is higher because of the band or the setting.
Unique jewelry pieces tend to be more expensive than mass produced designs, but you can also get custom wedding rings made on a budget. Either way, you have options. Your options will just be different depending on your specific budget.
4. Look for wedding rings online
When you buy wedding rings online, you could save some significant money. Even when you find high-quality rings online, the prices will likely be lower because online jewelers don’t need to maintain a physical storefront. Because they have less overhead, you can expect to pay around 20% less from an online jeweler.
If you do buy your rings online, just make sure you know how to identify a high-quality ring and check the company’s reputation beforehand. Last, but not least, always get pictures of your specific rings before making your purchase. You’ll want to look at your rings – especially the stones – close up and from as many angles as possible before committing to a purchase.
5. Buy vintage wedding rings
Nothing will help you save money like buying vintage wedding rings. Vintage rings are easy to find and they’re generally more affordable. Being second-hand, sometimes you’ll find them at estate sales, in antique shops, or from jewelers who specialize in vintage rings.
Vintage wedding rings will be especially interesting if you enjoy the styles from the past, as many ring styles were quite creative and unique.
6. Don’t believe that price symbolizes your love
Don’t fall into the trap of believing you need to spend more money on your wedding rings in order to symbolize your love. Rings have become a status symbol for many people, but you don’t need to adopt that mindset. The truth is that cost has no bearing on how your wedding rings symbolize your love.
With the average wedding rings costing between $510 and $1,100, there’s really no need to go all out if you don’t have it in the budget. Besides, it shouldn’t matter what other people are doing as long as you and your partner are happy with your rings.
The perfect wedding rings are out there
It will take time and diligent searching to find your perfect wedding rings, but they’re out there. So, keep searching with an open mind and you will find the perfect rings for your wedding.