The most important piece of jewelry you can own is a wedding ring. Since rings are worn for decades, they have to be both timelessly beautiful and durable – which comes at a price. The cost of high-quality wedding rings has steadily increased over the years, which is why many couples are cutting back costs and using the extra money for more important things.
Wedding Rings Can Be Quite Expensive
According to a report from the New York Times citing the Jewelers Association of America [1], the average couple in the US spends around $2,000 on their wedding rings. Having to budget for that much money in addition to other costs and living expenses is not easy, but there’s a cheaper way.
Budget-Friendly Weddings Rings are Available
You do want a wedding ring to last and look beautiful, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot. Take a look at these suggestions:
Compare Offers
Once you know the style of ring and material you want, you can start comparing offers from different jewelers. Moreover, competition between shops is stiff, so take advantage of it and ask for discounts. After all, salespeople have some wiggle room to lower prices if that nets them a sale.
You Don’t Have to Buy From a Jewelry Store
All the fancy interiors in high-end jewelry stores leave a great impression. However, they also add to the price of your potential wedding ring. Despite that, you can use these shops to find out what you like, but to find affordable wedding rings, check out these places:
- Big Box Stores are more and more becoming good spots to find all sorts of quality jewelry along with wedding and engagement rings. They get their products in bulk and pass on the saving to you, but they’re better for more common or traditional designs.
- Department Stores are a step up from the big box stores and can have a nicer and wider selection of jewelry in comparison.
- Online shops are great for easily comparing prices from a large number of vendors, and you get some of the best deals.
Try Different Ring Materials
Gold and platinum are go-tos for wedding ring materials, but lots of options are available thanks to advances in metallurgy. Keep in mind that aluminum was once a precious metal according to The Atlantic.[2]
Find Your Perfect Ring
We’ve given you quite a few ideas, but you can also ask recently-married friends or relatives for advice. There’s a perfect ring out there for everyone once you know what to look for.
[1]https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/01/your-money/with-engagement-rings-love-meets-budget.html
[2]https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2014/11/aluminum-was-once-one-of-the-most-expensive-metals-in-the-world/382447