You’ve heard the rule, right?  The one that says you’re supposed to spend a whole two months worth of your salary on your engagement ring.  Forget it!  Don’t let yourself be pressured by advertising and by what other couples might be spending.  Here are the biggest reasons why you should ignore the two month salary rule.

First, that’s a lot of money.  No matter what your salary range is, two full months is a pretty significant chunk of change.  Think of the ways that it could be better spent.  It may be money that you don’t immediately need now, but the future is always there, and it’s always something to think about and prepare for.  Just a few thousand dollars of that two months salary could, instead of being spend on an engagement ring, be invested.  By the time you retire, think of how much that money will have grown, and how much you’ll be able to do with it.

Even if the money really is disposable income, and you don’t feel that you need to invest it, an engagement ring is still simply a piece of jewelry.  Talk about it as a couple, and you may find that you both agree that the price of the jewelry isn’t so important.  Then you will be free to use that money in a way that will be really enjoyable to both of you–a nicer honeymoon, and vacation, a down payment on a new car.

And spending less on your engagement ring doesn’t mean that you have to end up with a lower quality one.  In fact, there are so many beautiful and affordable options out there that even with the smallest budget, you can get something fantastic.  For example, if you are looking for more glamorous styles, like cushion cut rings, you can get affordable cushion cut engagement rings by buying cubic zirconia, or semi-precious gemstones.  Buying a smaller central diamond with a lot of sidestones or a pave setting is another great choice, since a large number of smaller diamonds will typically be more affordable than a single large diamond.

Don’t be fooled by the two months salary rule, or by the engagement ring prices that you may see online or at jewelry stores.  The idea that you have to spend so much on an engagement ring to prove your love is simply outdated.  There are so many better things to do with the money, and so many affordable options, too!