Comments on: How Much Should You Spend On An Engagement Ring? http://unfilteredminds.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/how-much-should-you-spend-on-an-engagement-ring/ The real, unfiltered, politically incorrect truth about what men think Fri, 05 Sep 2008 16:10:33 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=MU hourly 1 By: Mr. Thoughtful http://unfilteredminds.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/how-much-should-you-spend-on-an-engagement-ring/#comment-118 Mr. Thoughtful Thu, 03 Apr 2008 20:39:05 +0000 http://unfilteredminds.wordpress.com/?p=30#comment-118 The argument your friend was making (that the ring is a reflection of you and do you want her friends to think you are cheap) is a classic signalling idea. You signal your love, generosity, and commitment to your fiancee by giving her an expensive ring. But signalling is costly. Maybe you should demonstrate your commitment to your fiancee by putting most of the money you were going to spend on the ring into an IRA for your retirement together. Let's say you put ten thousand dollars into an account. If you get engaged when you're thirty or thirty-five, that ten thousand dollars will, through the miracle of compound interest, grow to over $50,000 by the time you retire. You could spend the remainder of the amount you would have spent on less expensive engagement ring. The argument your friend was making (that the ring is a reflection of you and do you want her friends to think you are cheap) is a classic signalling idea. You signal your love, generosity, and commitment to your fiancee by giving her an expensive ring.

But signalling is costly. Maybe you should demonstrate your commitment to your fiancee by putting most of the money you were going to spend on the ring into an IRA for your retirement together. Let’s say you put ten thousand dollars into an account. If you get engaged when you’re thirty or thirty-five, that ten thousand dollars will, through the miracle of compound interest, grow to over $50,000 by the time you retire.

You could spend the remainder of the amount you would have spent on less expensive engagement ring.

]]> By: Mr. Practical http://unfilteredminds.wordpress.com/2008/04/02/how-much-should-you-spend-on-an-engagement-ring/#comment-117 Mr. Practical Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:13:02 +0000 http://unfilteredminds.wordpress.com/?p=30#comment-117 I read a blog recently, written by a woman I have a high opinion of, that also mentioned the "three months" salary rule. The thing is, she of course <i>agreed with it</i>. What she was saying to her male readers was, "Hey, that ring is a reflection of you. Do you want her friends to know how cheap you are?" I HATE that. It is almost like high school. Everyone following "the system" like sheep. Another reason I'll probably never get married. I read a blog recently, written by a woman I have a high opinion of, that also mentioned the “three months” salary rule. The thing is, she of course agreed with it. What she was saying to her male readers was, “Hey, that ring is a reflection of you. Do you want her friends to know how cheap you are?”

I HATE that. It is almost like high school. Everyone following “the system” like sheep. Another reason I’ll probably never get married.

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