You want to spend every moment with her. You can’t stop thinking about her. You know that she is the one person you want to share the rest of your life with. You want to start your life together on firm financial footing. Planning a wedding on a budget starts before you even pick out her wedding ring set. Here are some budget wedding tips to get you started before you pop the question.

1. Pick a ring you can afford.

The popular myth is that you need to spend at least two month’s salary on an engagement ring. But why go into debt if you can get a beautiful diamond ring for less? Pick a budget that you can afford and stick to it. The more money you save on a ring, the more money you will have to put towards the wedding, the honeymoon, or even the down payment on a house.

2. Shop for jewelry online.

Online jewelry stores often offer better selection and better prices than a brick-and-mortar store can afford to do. They have the advantage of not using pushy salespeople who may be working on commission. Online jewelers also allow you easy comparison shopping from the comfort of your living room as you search for the best deals.

3. Select a diamond cluster ring set.

You can save money by purchasing a diamond cluster ring, which clusters smaller diamonds together for a higher aesthetic impact at a much lower cost. You can also stay on budget by purchasing a bargain wedding ring set that includes either a wedding ring and an engagement ring or an engagement ring and two wedding bands instead of spending more money and time to choose each ring separately.

4. Put your ring on layaway.

Don’t purchase the wedding ring set with your credit card and get hit by high finance charges that will hurt your wallet and affect your credit rating for years to come. Some jewelers such as My Trio Rings offers customized layaway plans (http://www.mytriorings.com/layaway-plan.html) to help you spread out the cost of an engagement ring or a wedding ring set over time before you propose.

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