When you're ready to pop the question, it's only natural to want the perfect engagement ring to sweep her off her feet. However, rushing out to the nearest jeweler to find the perfect promise of your affection can lead to financial disaster for your marriage. Start your union off on the right foot with an engagement ring that will save money, maintain its value, and still take her breath away.

Cut 18% of the Cost! Pay Cash!

The best way to save money on your girlfriend's engagement ring is to plan and save ahead. Buying a ring on time or charging it can end up increasing the cost by 18% or more. YOU'LL STILL BE PAYING ON YOUR ANNIVERSARY!!! Forget it.

It won't take long to save the cash you need for a beautiful engagement ring if you are smart and committed. Saving $50 - $100 a week for a few months will give you more than enough to purchase a beautiful diamond engagement ring for your future wife, especially when you plan on using other savings techniques to keep the price down.

It's Not Used!!! It's Estate Jewelry!!!

Maybe you can't afford much, but whatever your budget is, your money will go a lot further with estate jewelry. These engagement rings are pre-owned, but in flawless condition. Just as a new car loses a great deal of its value the moment you drive it off the lot, so does a fabulous engagement ring. Estate jewelry allows you to give her the same beauty and quality, but makes sure you're not the one taking the financial hit when she says yes. Estate jewelry is priced to reflect the instant depreciation SOMEONE ELSE had to experience when they originally purchased the engagement ring new.

Estate jewelry is easy to find and will likely offer you a more diverse selection. Where new engagement rings are crafted to follow current fashion trends, estate jewelry is available in all fashions from all times. Give her the unique, even antique, engagement ring she'll be proud to display. Ask a local jeweler about estate jewelry or look online.

Avoid Solitaires!

When you think about the perfect engagement ring, images of a gorgeous and sparkling solitaire may come to mind. However, it takes a rather large and expensive solitaire to make any sort of impression. A single stone will cost you more than a setting of several stones of twice the weight. More stones means more facets, which means more sparkle.

Engagement rings, particularly estate jewelry, often come in creative designs that are more enchanting than their boring counterparts. Free yourself and your fiancee from the misguided notion that an engagement ring must always be a solitaire.

Forget Brand Names!

Her boyfriend may have paid a visit to Jared's, but you paid less. Big jewelry stores may seem to offer a great deal on their mass production engagement rings, but considering the value of the rings, they are often still over priced. Diamonds are valued based on their size, quality, and shape. The shape and size might be right, but if the quality is lacking, you're not getting any great deal.

Arm yourself with a basic understanding of how the quality of a diamond is rated and what that rating does to the stone's overall value. Then visit smaller, independent jewelers locally and online. You will see that, when you look beyond the shine and into the fine print, the bigger brand name jewelers can't compare.

Shapes and Trends

Love may be timeless, but engagement rings come with expiration dates. Because engagement rings follow trends, what's hot today won't be hot tomorrow. The expensive heart-shaped diamond you sold your soul for will be worth less than half its current value when fashions change and heart-shaped diamonds are no longer in demand.

Save moeny and ensure you don't take a giant hit on your engagement ring by avoiding the trends in shape and color. Invest wisely, in less expensive cuts that will hold their value longer.

Get a Second Appraisal!

Sure, your jeweler is saying the ring is worth a certain amount, and providing documentation to back up his quality claims, but it never hurts to get a second opinion. Be sure to purchase your engagement ring from a jeweler who offers a brief return period. Then, take that diamond ring immediately to be appraised independently.

Any jeweler can appraise an engagement ring, but you want to make sure your ring is appraised by a reputable jeweler. Because fraud is common in the jewelry industry, it's best to choose a jeweler with a solid reputation. If that jeweler comes back with a disappointing appraisal, or a report of quality that differs from the documentation provided when you purchased it, return the ring immediately to the original jeweler for a full refund.