<p>She should just buy herself the ring she wants.</p>
<p>(H and I have plain gold bands–less than $100 together. I paid for both of them. 3 years after we were married, my m-i-l gave me a ring she inherited from her grandmother–I use that as my “engagement” ring. )</p>
<p>“I know a guy who did just about that. He was getting engaged and he knew he had to buy a ring, but he was a cheapskate. Well… He knew a friend who had a broken engagement , so he bought it from him for pennies on the dollar (it wasn’t a great ring in the first place).”</p>
<p>If I liked the ring, I’d be thrilled about this, and I’d think “I picked the right guy.” Getting a $1000 ring for $200 just seems smart to me. Why pay more for the same thing? I can’t really conceive of jewelry as being “used.” It’s not like rings depreciate.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>True…but I think it’s the attitude that goes along with the whole thing. If the couple has tight finances, then it’s a good thing. If the guy is just being cheap, then it can hurt the bride’s feelings.</p>
<p>I agree that the stones aren’t “used”. </p>
<p>I would rather the guy be upfront about the deal and offer to have the ring/stones reset to how the bride likes them.</p>
<p>For those men who want to surprise their girlfriends with engagement rings when they pop the big question, one of the local jewelers will put the stone he chooses into a simple setting. After the question has been popped and she says yes, the couple then comes down to the store and the woman picks a setting that she likes.</p>
<p>Exactly! My bro and his jeweler did that. The solitaire ring was presented, and then set into a ring set with baquettes to the bride’s liking.</p>
<p>Even if I were marrying Bill Gates, I’d think it was silly of him to pay $10 million for a ring that he could buy from another source for $2 million.</p>
<p>(Call me, Bill!)</p>
<p>Thats so thoughtful of you, Hanna ;)</p>
<p>.
.
.
.
Think Melinda will mind?</p>
<p>Aah, gift-giving…it has become quite hard in our family because H and I can now afford to get anything we want (and do so), so the only thing left to give to one another for a gift is something we DON’T want.</p>
<p>^^^</p>
<p>But, the fun is thinking of something that the other person wouldn’t necessarily ever really think of buying for him/herself.</p>
<p>My DH’s birthday is Christmas day. No joke. Last year I got him something he didn’t have, and wouldn’t buy for himself [Amazon.com:</a> RAKE SHAPED 5 DRAW 20" TELESCOPING BACK SCRATCHER: Health & Personal Care: Reviews, Prices & more](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/RAKE-SHAPED-DRAW-TELESCOPING-SCRATCHER/dp/B001JP8XQ8]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/RAKE-SHAPED-DRAW-TELESCOPING-SCRATCHER/dp/B001JP8XQ8)</p>
<p>Really. I really did. Its on his desk.</p>
<p>*Even if I were marrying Bill Gates, I’d think it was silly of him to pay $10 million for a ring that he could buy from another source for $2 million.</p>
<p>(Call me, Bill!) *</p>
<p>“Bill” Hanna…</p>
<p>I think you’re missing the point. There’s no problem with getting a good deal. That’s not the issue. </p>
<p>if someone has a legitimate budget of - say - $1000 to spend on an engagement ring, and finds a beautiful $5000 ring for $1000…then awesome. </p>
<p>I think the recipient would realize that the giver got a good deal because a $5k ring isn’t affordable. And, an honest giver would probably reveal that fact.</p>
<p>But, if the person’s budget is - say - $5,000 - but buys a $5000 ring for $500 just because it’s $500 (and for no other reason), then it can be rather insulting to the recipient…especially if the giver has let the recipient believe that it’s a $5k ring.</p>
<p>Imagine being the recipient of the $500 ring, not liking it, and wanting to exchange it while thinking it was a $5000 ring? Can you imagine how awkward that would be?</p>
<p>mom2collegekids-</p>
<p>I think you are missing Hanna’s humor. It was very funny!</p>
<p>LOL…ahhh…yes, I did miss the point. duh! LOL</p>
<p>Love the back scratcher!</p>
<p>And Hanna, let us know if Bill calls you ;)</p>
<p>As an aside, there is a radio/tv talk show guy who prides himself on being a cheapskate. He lives in my town. I ran into him buying his current wife her engagement ring… at Costco. It is a beautiful ring (and even though he is a self-proclaimed cheapskate, she has 2 jags)</p>
<p>Costco sells high quality jewelry and you know that what it is what they say it is. My local Costco is next to Costco Headquarters and they regularly have rings in the $25,000+ range and a $20,000 Rolex among other items. I would buy items there any day of the week.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>But if the ring is worth $5,000 – what difference does it make that the person actually paid $500 for it? That’s a smart shopper. Why should the person have to spend the full budget he had planned / allocated? What fun to be able to have the $5,000 – find the $5,000 ring for $500 and then have $4,500 to do other stuff with!</p>
<p>And it still IS a $5,000 ring!</p>
<p>Wouldn’t you buy jewelry from a “connection” (friend in the business, etc.) if you could? I sure would.</p>
<p>Of course, Pizzagirl, even Bill Gates did (per local papers, he diverted his private plane to pick a ring for Melinda at the store owned by Warren Buffett)! Betcha he got a good deal, too! 
</p>
<p>I would not mind jewelry from Costco - it is quality stuff, and the only jewelry-selling store DH visits on a regular basis. That’s where I got most of my “bling” from (not that I have a lot). 
I also do not mind used stuff, but a ring that was involved in a broken engagement would be a deal breaker for me. I’d rather have no ring than a ring with such a curse attached to it. But that’s just my personal superstition.</p>
<p>Interesting hearing the strong feelings on buying a ring from a broken engagement. I don’t think most men know the feelings are that strong and near universal.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>That is fun…but I so rarely strike paydirt and get him something that he would really want but hadn’t already thought of getting for himself. But that doesn’t mean that I won’t stop trying…no matter how many unread books and unused electronic items clutter the home!</p>
<p>Jym - that backscratcher rocks! My DH would be very happy to find something like this under the Christmas tree! Of course, I’ll add something from B&H to balance out the shiny patent leather clutch I will be getting from him 
(I wonder how did I happen to know what kind of gift I would be getting… Yup, my DH is the biggest expert when it comes to fancy purses because I already emailed him the link.</p>
<p>Last year for Christmas my friend’s girlfriend asked him what he wanted for christmas, he said a play station 3. she was like okay i’ll get you that. he went out and bought one the next day and gave her the reciept. lol.</p>
<p>Oh, and a few years ago my dad told my sister and I that he wanted a ps2 game and a memory card and a controller for christmas… We both were like but dad, you don’t have a ps2. He goes “yeah I know but when your mother asks you guys what you got me she’ll have to buy me one for my gift!” I remember laughing so hard.</p>