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How To Properly Compare Engagement Ring Quotes

“Everything should be made as simple as possible, but no simpler.” – Probably Albert Einstein.

Although comparing engagement ring quotes is certainly not rocket-science it’s generally more complicated than most people make it out to be. The critical information you need to make a proper and informed decision is often omitted from quotes, and unless you know exactly what additional information to ask for you’ll be taking a shot in the dark when accepting a quote.

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Designer Jewellery Brands (How To Waste Your Money 101)

Shirley will never try to convince you that her R92 000 Valentino Evening Bag was a sensible purchase. But she wasn’t looking for sensible when she casually strolled into Valentino now was she? Some people find the thrill of a luxury purchase to be nothing short of intoxicating. Visit cities like New York and Rome and you’ll find miles of expensive boutiques fueling shopper’s addictions to all things luxurious.

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14 Amazing Facts About Diamonds

I’m pretty sure you know that diamonds are the strongest naturally occurring mineral substance found on earth. You’re not here for vanilla flavoured facts, are you? Here are 14 facts about diamonds you might actually find fascinating:

Diamonds were first used for industrial applications due to the strength of the substance. The ancient Chinese used diamonds to polish ceremonial burial axes made from ruby in the late stone age. Today more than 80% of diamonds mined are still used for industrial purposes and not for jewellery.

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Buying An Engagement Ring Online: A Starting Point

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Even your grandma knows the best deals are available exclusively online. Traditional brick and mortar stores are closing their doors every single day because they simply cannot match the prices of their online competitors. Now before you shed a tear for these bad luck ridden businesses, just remember that if they are being hurt by online retailers they have a product that can indeed be sold online. Why are they not selling online? Businesses need to evolve to survive.

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The Wedding: Who Pays For What Again? (PART TWO)

In Part One of this blog series we discussed the “traditional method” of dividing the costs of a wedding between the bridal couple’s families. If you missed part one – check it out here. If the traditional split seemed a bit skewed and outdated to you… welcome to Part Two.

The average cost of a wedding has more than doubled in the past ten years. This doubling excludes the effect of inflation! The business of bridal has become a massive multi-billion dollar industry in a few short decades. Parents and couples are feeling the financial strain of paying the equivalent of an excellent college education for a single day of champagne and cake-pops. Websites like Pinterest have not helped with daddy’s little princess now seeing thousands of expensive details she can add to every element of her wedding. Oops!

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The Wedding: Who Pays For What Again? (PART ONE)

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Do you remember the old Windows game “Minesweeper”? You’d sit down all excited, 99% sure you’ll be able to diffuse this simple puzzle. You stare totally focussed at the pixelated grey blocks on your screen for a few seconds and then click on any square that you feel comfortable with. BOOM! You accidentally clicked on a bomb and you are dead. Deciding on how to split the wedding bill is the Couple’s Version of real life Minesweeper. If you approach this explosive topic respectfully, trust your gut and avoid rushing a single step of the way you might get through this whole ordeal without clicking on a bomb of sorts. Finances are a sensitive topic to start off with – add “my baby’s wedding” to the equation and you’re in for one tough game of Minesweeper! Continue reading The Wedding: Who Pays For What Again? (PART ONE)

How To Get The Best Deal On A Diamond Engagement Ring

There is no shortage of fun ways to waste your money. Overpaying for an engagement ring is certainly not one of them. Instead of trusting jittery sales-staff fueled by promises of commission you need to do your own research, consider your options thoroughly and talk to a few jewellers before making any diamond related purchase. These 5 easy steps will get you well on you way to a great deal on an engagement ring.

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Should Diamonds Be Considered An Investment?

Knock first, walk into my office, open my safe, pick any diamond and I’ll give you a price on it. It’s all for sale. Diamond dealers and jewellers trade in diamonds – no one is investing for the long run. Why then are diamonds being marketed as the greatest investment of all time? Sales talk.

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