Shiny & Spendy

Logan and Janae are some of the nicest people I know, and so when I learned they got engaged last winter, I was thrilled. I couldn't wait to see them and hug them and look at the ring like the enthusiastic person I am. 
As a business major and college student, I was also intrigued to see if Logan spent all of his money on this ring, set a budget, or just found a good deal. I was excited to hear about how his spending went. 

Janae's actual ring
Lindsey Jane Photography

1. How did you decide you wanted to go forth in this purchase?
So one, I decided I had a couple of thousand saved up for whatever I needed, and this was the next thing I needed. 
I shopped around and already had some savings ready to go. It's hard because you're supposed to do x amount-- maybe 3 months of your income--but when you're in college, you don't make any income, so you don't have a base. I just used what I saved up. And waited for the December sale. 

2. Do you set a budget for spending on this type of stuff? Did you change your spending budget after this purchase?
I didn't have a set budget. I didn't really know what kind of range I wanted to look at. It kind of depended more on Janae, and what she wanted. She didn't want to spend a ton of money on it; she thought the outrageous amounts were stupid. If we could find something that worked well, I knew I'd want to spend anywhere from $3,000-$5,000 and that's about where we landed. That's kind of what I had saved too, so it worked. 
It didn't really set us back or anything. It wasn't a huge deal because I was kind of already planning on using it for that. 

3. Have you forgone participating in other activities or purchasing other items in order to purchase this/these item(s)?
Yeah that investment fund was originally supposed to be for college, or just money to get me out of a bind if I screwed up, I guess. It kind of hung me out there for awhile but it wasn't really that bad. You can always take out loans--if I end up in a bad situation and I already had a job lined up for the summer that would pay well.  

4. How much would you say your spending habits changed while in college? On a scale of 1-10 how much would you say it has changed? And why?
(1-Not at all, exactly the same as before college. 10- It has done a complete 180 and I spend much differently)
Hmmm. I would say it's definitely changed. It for sure changes when you get married. Like when you start in high school, you make money then spend what you want because you don't really have expenses since you live with your parents and such, but once you hit college, you have to pay a bunch out, or take out loans. I definitely think I probably got a little more frugal and more comfortable with having what I have and not having the next thing. I think it's a good change. I would say it's probably a '7'. 

5. Do you think you will you continue to spend the same after college?
To some degree. I think that for sure right after you have to be pretty frugal. You'll have to pay back the debt and such. And make bigger purchases like buying a house and other stuff like that. 

My thoughts: 
I loved hearing that Logan noted he was saving up for what he needed and this was his next need. He had the money set away for something important, and to him this was the next most important thing. Waiting for a sale as well as understanding a price range (despite his lack of income, as he noted) was helpful to his decision to purchase something so important.  I was really interested on the subject of rings for a couple reasons: it's a big purchase that many students begin to make around this age, and it's not necessarily a need--but in a way it kind of is. For many, a ring symbolizes a lot about love and is seen as tradition as well as something that most women will wear for the rest of their lives. But still... can anyone truly say they need a ring? 
With social media outlets such as Pinterest and Instagram, pictures of rings are popping up everywhere, making the purchase seem like a necessary aspect of relationship behavior. And it is not just driven simply by jewelry companies, but now the consumers themselves. I knew Logan and Janae wouldn't fall into the consumer driven trap that has been created and get an expensive ring just because Pinterest said to.  
I then found it interesting and funny that his now-wife Janae, didn't want to spend a ton because she thought it was stupid to spend so much... which truly shows where the value is placed on the ring--what it symbolizes.