Frugal Living at The Dollar Stretcher


High School Class Rings

High School Class Ring Savings

I had my high school ring made by Jostens using their "Lustrium" metal, or jewelers' metal. It was substantially less expensive, and years later, I still wear it and it looks great. Skip the gold for high school rings, as you'll want to make that investment in a college ring later.
Christopher R.

High School Class Rings

If your child is going on to college, why bother wasting money on a high school ring at all? High school rings have a very limited shelf life. Save that money for a college ring. Once you go to college, high school rings don't get worn any more.
Amy

High School Class Ring Suggestion

When I went to look at high school class rings, I was appalled at how expensive a gold ring was. Also, being an October baby, my birthstone is opal. People who do class rings won't handle opals because they are soft and crack easily and they don't want to warranty them. So I was looking at a rose zircon ring in gold for over $300. I was not about to pay that for a ring with a fake-looking pink stone in it.
A

Alternative to High School Class Rings

My mother suggested we look at buying a regular ring for the money we'd spend on a class ring. "After all," she pointed out, "no one wears their class ring after they get out of school." So I picked out an opal cocktail ring with one large opal, eight or nine small opals, and eight tiny diamonds all set in 10kt gold for $99 on sale at JCPenney. When one of the stones came out less than a month later, they replaced the stone for free.

When it came time for me to graduate from college, I was in the same boat, and once again, I picked out another regular ring. This time, I picked out a three-stone opal ring in 10kt gold with channel-set diamonds. It was just over $200, which was still less by about $100 than the gold and emerald ring they were offering.

I love my two rings and wear them just about anytime I wear jewelry. If I had bought a regular class ring, I don't think I would have been happy with it at all (because of the stone choice), and like everyone else, I would have stopped wearing it when I got out of school. If you're going to spend the money on something, spend it on something that's actually going to be used. I always associate both of those rings with my graduation from high school and college, despite them not displaying the year of my graduation and the hobbies I had while I was in school.
Keri in Eagleville, TN

Cheaper High School Rings

Your local jewelry stores carry the class rings, and are usually cheaper than the company that comes to the school. Check your local jeweler.
Sandy

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