Find the Perfect Affordable Engagement Ring to Fit Your Budget

We’ve all dreamed of finding the right person and getting married. We’ve imagined everything that goes with that—the rings, the dresses, the tuxedos—but the moment you finally hold your engagement ring in your hand and see those sparkling diamonds, you realize it’s all actually going to happen.

With so much riding on the engagement ring and the wedding rings, it’s easy to want to spend a lot of money on them. But as beautiful as they are, other experiences are just as important. Paying for your wedding and honeymoon. Traveling. Buying a home. Raising a child.

That’s why you need to decide what you can afford and stick to it. This doesn't mean you need to settle or compromise on your wedding ring, just that you need to find the right one that will fit your budget. Listen close for some quick tips on how you can maximize your budget and still get an amazing ring at the same time.
 

How to Shop for Affordable Wedding Rings

Your wedding rings are a major purchase—so, when searching for the perfect ring it’s important to shop smart. Here are four steps for finding an affordable wedding ring and avoiding buyer’s regret:
 

• Get Intimate with Your Money: Get out a piece of paper, or open a spreadsheet. Write down your current and future monthly income and your monthly expenses. Also list your wedding expenses, including the rings. Look at those numbers! Now, how much can you realistically spend on the rings? What monthly bill could you afford if you finance them?
• Read the Terms and Policies: Pay special attention to your jeweler’s return policy and other customer relations policies. You should feel happy and safe with your jeweler, sure that they’ll gladly help you resize, exchange, fix, or return rings without a hassle.

 

Creative Ideas for Cheap Wedding Rings

While keeping the process above in mind, you can also look for alternatives to traditional rings. The following ideas can help you save money on rings that are still beautiful expressions of your love.

1. Colored Gems
 

Clear diamonds are always in demand, which means they cost more. However, more and more people are opting for colored gems and diamonds because they offer a unique look—and may be less expensive. If you’re open to colored gems and colored diamonds, you can save some money and get a pretty awesome looking wedding ring for much less. We offer some lovely wedding rings including our delicate pink morganite rings surrounded by diamonds in a rose gold setting.

2. Lab-Grown Diamonds
 

Lab-grown diamonds look exactly the same as mined diamonds, but they’re priced lower! Why pay more when experts can’t tell them apart? Look for brands like Eco Love®, which are physically and optically identical to mined diamonds. They are faceted and polished by the same master cutters and are conflict free and sustainable.

3. Tungsten Bands
 

Bands made of metals besides gold are especially popular with the gentlemen. Tungsten, for example, is extremely durable, but it generally costs less than gold—even if you decide to pop some diamonds in there.

4. Solitaire Diamond Bands
 

The solitaire look is elegant and timeless. Plus, it can be affordable. You can get a simple white gold wedding ring holding a single, brilliant diamond for less than $1,000. You can also have that diamond surrounded by a halo of other diamonds. Getting an Eco Love solitaire ring is a great way to save money and get a beautiful and timeless ring at the same time.

5. Many Small Diamonds
 

If you really want diamonds on your wedding bands, keep this in mind: the bigger the diamond, the rarer it is—and the higher the price tag. Smaller diamonds are relatively cheap, which is why you can get a great price on a wedding band that has many small diamonds set in a channel or with a cluster setting. These diamonds might be small, but they have an amazing sparkle you can’t miss.

6. Trio Sets
 

When you buy an extra-special engagement ring and then still have to get two wedding bands later on, their prices can really add up. You could instead pick out a matched set of all three rings from the beginning. The price of a set is usually a great discount compared to what you’d pay for three independent rings. Plus, they’re designed to look perfect together.

7. Diamond Clusters
 

For the diamond setting featured in the middle of a ring, choosing a cluster setting with many small diamonds that covers the same surface area a single large diamond can make your ring much more affordable. A diamond cluster can be an especially good choice if you’re on a budget and don’t want to sacrifice the high shine and sparkle of a larger diamond ring.

8. Alternative Diamond Shapes
 

Round diamonds are the most popular and expensive type. That means you can save money by shopping for diamonds of different shapes, such as ovals or squares. Just look carefully at each one yourself, and decide if you love the look of it and the way the light reflects from it.

9. Lower Carat Total Weight (CTW)

You might not realize it, but a carat doesn’t refer to the size of a diamond—it refers to the weight of the stones. Where a two- or three-carat diamond on its own can cost thousands of dollars, getting a ring with a CTW (carat total weight) broken up between many smaller diamonds can give you amazing value for the money. Get the same weight and shine of larger stones without spending more than you can afford.

When you’re young and need to save, looking for rings with a carat total weight (CTW) over a single large carat stone can really help you save and put money towards other things, like your honeymoon, wedding, or maybe even a new car or house when you get married.

10. Pick and Maintain Sparkle

While you’re shopping, look carefully at each diamond or other gem. Compare how brilliant they look. Well-cut small gems can play with the light better than poorly cut large gems, so keep searching until you find the gems you love to look at in the right price range for you! Then, keep them beautiful and sparkling by gently cleaning them regularly and having them professionally cleaned once or twice a year. Most jewelers offer free cleaning so even just dropping by a store at the mall can get your ring sparkling like new.
 

Find the Perfect Affordable Wedding Rings with Daniel’s Jewelers

Ready to shop for affordable wedding rings? Great financing options can make it easier to afford the ring you want, because you’re only paying a set monthly amount. Plus, if you can pay off no-interest credit on time, you’ll pay only what you would have paid in cash at the beginning, anyway! Apply for Daniel’s online financing here.