I heart Valentine’s Day. But it’s not because I love to get lost in my lover’s eyes and reminisce about our magical life together … I just really like chocolate. Whether I’m flying solo, or synched to a suitor, chocolate has always stuck by my side (quite literally).
But, I could be persuaded to love February 14th for another reason: say, if someone showed up with something shiny. It is, after all, a popular day for proposals: 4 million Americans expect to propose/be proposed to over Valentine’s Day.
Shiny Stats
If you’re one of those 4 million, it might be interesting to see how much the average consumer spends on engagement rings. According to a recent survey, 48% of single consumers feel that an engagement ring should cost between $1,000 and $5,000. Roughly 22% think $1,000 to $1,999 is appropriate, and 21% think a ring should cost less than $500. (Honey, you better not be one of those 21%ers!) And a fancy 5% feel that shelling out $10,000+ for a ring is perfectly acceptable. That sounds about right.
If you’re not interested in dropping 10 large on something so small, here are a few ways to slim down your bill without skimping on sentiment:
Get more bling for your buck
- Ditch the diamond. Non-diamond stones are much more affordable. Thanks, Kate, for making this a trendy option.
- Ring your ring. A ring of stones circling a smaller center stone will cost less without losing that big-rock feeling.
- Consider the cut. Emeralds have a larger surface area so the top looks bigger than it really is.
- Slim down a hair. A 1.9 carat diamond could cost $5,000 less than a 2 carat ring, and you probably won’t be able to tell the difference.
- Set out for a high setting. A high setting will make your diamond appear bigger.
For more tips on cutting the cost of those carats, check out the full article.
How do you celebrate Valentine’s Day? Are you expecting something shiny?
