How much to spend for engagement ring?

Slinky

Don't bother posting any more 'advice', OP was attempting spam with link to a website the moderators have now deleted his post.

clint_S

I like Spam, especially with Super noodles.

fairy_lights

clint_S wrote: »

I like Spam, especially with Super noodles.

I've heard that deep fried spam is nice, in a chicken-nuggets kind of way. have you ever tried it?

Primrose

For goodness sake, go and choose the ring together. She'll hopefully be wearing it for the rest of her life so magine how disappointed she'll be if you pick something she hates! In my opinion most men don't have a clue abiut what sort of jewellery a woman might like!

For what it's worth my other half was young and peniless when we got engaged so we chose the ring together and I paid for it. As we'd already long decided that all our money would be jointly held there seemed little point i him having to reimburse me!

Pollycat

Primrose wrote: »

For goodness sake, go and choose the ring together. She'll hopefully be wearing it for the rest of her life so magine how disappointed she'll be if you pick something she hates! In my opinion most men don't have a clue abiut what sort of jewellery a woman might like!

I'd hazard a guess that the 'culture' that the OP belongs to doesn't do 'fiancee input'

poppy10_2

Pollycat wrote: »

I'd hazard a guess that the 'culture' that the OP belongs to doesn't do 'fiancee input'

What culture is that?

Detroit

My mum told me it should be a months wages, the idea being that it was an investment, and could be sold in hard times to give you cover for a months living expenses.
This was obviously before savings accounts were common and not relevant now, but interesting if this is where it came from.

Pollycat

poppy10 wrote: »

What culture is that?

No idea.
The same 'culture' that the OP referred to in his post that has now been deleted:

First, in my culture, we have a ceremony like a mini marriage for the engagement. It's a custom.

Detroit wrote: »

My mum told me it should be a months wages, the idea being that it was an investment, and could be sold in hard times to give you cover for a months living expenses.
This was obviously before savings accounts were common and not relevant now, but interesting if this is where it came from.

As explained by Poppy10 in post #18, that was a marketing ploy by De Beers - from the BBC article link in that post:

The idea was embedded in popular culture in the West by an advertising drive from the De Beers diamond cartel that started in the lean years of the 1930s.

It clearly worked. :rotfl:

missbiggles1

Detroit wrote: »

My mum told me it should be a months wages, the idea being that it was an investment, and could be sold in hard times to give you cover for a months living expenses.
This was obviously before savings accounts were common and not relevant now, but interesting if this is where it came from.

Your mum obviously had little idea of how much tax you pay on a pice of jewellery!

Laconic

missbiggles1 wrote: »

Your mum obviously had little idea of how much tax you pay on a pice of jewellery!

Another interesting point: it's very enlightening to actually look at the resale value of engagement (and wedding) rings.
I like this write up as it's entertaining, but a quick look round auction sites will confirm it -- you won't see half the retail value back.
http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2014/06/04/act-surprised-your-wedding-ring-is-a-terrible-investment/

Treat it as a consumable, not an investment and go for what you're really happy with.
Better yet, buy a magnificent ring for a quarter of its original sale price, used.