The holiday season is one of the most popular times to buy jewelry, which could lead you to spend a lot more money than you expected. Whether you’re shopping for engagement rings or weddings bands for the upcoming season, or you simply want to get someone special one of the trendy items marketed during this period, there are a few ways for you to cut back on the amount you spend. With a little know how, you won’t have to fret over fine jewelry shopping. Instead, you can enjoy the anticipation of seeing the perfect reaction to your shimmering gift. So, get ready to shop because the holiday sales are sure to call your name soon.

1. Hand-Me-Downs
During the holidays, many believe the season is the perfect time to pop the question with friends and family around. It’s no wonder that engagement season begins during this period thanks to the warmth of the occasion. Weddings are also big during this time of the year for those who want to avoid the popular spring time rush, while still allowing for a little winter romance. Thus, you may want to take some time to ask a relative in your family for a hand-me-down ring. A lot of families love to pass rings down from generation to generation, in order to keep tradition in the family. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a ring for your fiancée, bride or groom as many families will be more than willing to help out. Plus, it may make the love of your life feel special knowing they received a ring with a story behind it. Of course, holiday parties are also a popular time to want to spend a little extra on vintage styles so you’ll look your best. You may want to take a little time out to ask family members if you can have, buy or borrow a specific piece that’s been in your family. This will help save you some money, while allowing you to look your best.

2. Shop Second Hand
There’s no rule saying jewelry has to come from a chain store, or that it even has to be new. It doesn’t matter what your shopping for as there are a lot of cheaper options when you look at thrift stores, pawn shops, yard sales, or auctions. One of the most common places to shop for pricier pieces of jewelry is probably the pawn shop as you’re going to find a lot of higher quality pieces there due to the nature of the store. Thrift stores may have a lot of options too, but you may not be able to find higher end items. Of course, auctions are always a great place for fine jewelry, but you have to know how to play your cards right if you want to win the piece at a lower price. If you’re just shopping for jewelry to wear to a party then try to stick with yard sales or thrift stores, as you should be able to find many pieces you can dress up with a few DIY techniques. You should always be aware of what you’re buying, no matter the store though as some people or businesses may try to pass off some items as gold or gemstones when they are merely imitations.

3. Clearance
It doesn’t matter what your favorite chain store is, they probably have a clearance section that can save you some big bucks on fine jewelry. Even department stores that sell fine jewelry will have a special clearance section that could save you quite a bit. Generally, the stores don’t advertise the clearance section in store because they won’t make as much money off of the items. So, when you go in to look around you might want to ask to see if they have anything in the section for you to look at. If you don’t want to look in store then go on their website. You may be surprised by the items they have on discount as well as the amount they’ve reduced the price. Of course, some of the items may have slight defects, but if they do they’re generally nothing you will notice with the naked eye.

4. Shop Online
You may not believe it, but shopping online for jewelry, especially engagement rings, can really save you a whole lot of money. Online jewelers can reach a larger market, which means they can afford to offer you a generous price on their items. Plus, most of these online stores offer exclusive deals, flash sales and promotions that cut more off of the price tag of their items. The best thing about shopping online for jewelry is you can feel free to browse around without having someone follow you around. You can also hop on another site to compare the price. Apart from the freedom to shop with ease, online jewelers can often offer you customized options to make your purchase even more personal to you. If you’re worried about shipping, then you’ll probably be pleased to know that most companies ship for free with insurance if a customer spends more than a specified amount of money. The only thing to be leery about is websites that you’re unfamiliar with. Make sure to look for reviews on the company before you take the leap and purchase a pricey item.

5. Wholesale
When it comes to shopping, you can save money on just about anything and everything if you can only buy if from a wholesale warehouse. Luckily, there’s quite a few wholesale jewelers both on and offline, which will come in handy for your shopping adventures. Before you go out shopping, try looking up wholesale dealers in your area to see if you can find one that isn’t too far away. You may be surprised that some of your bulk stores will carry wholesale jewelry, which will mean you’ll save more than you expected. Of course, if you have no luck locally, then online has a wide variety of wholesale websites that will give you the star treatment without the price tag. Of course, you may have to tailor your ideas to suit some of the wholesale items.

6. Skip Chain Jewelers
Usually, a lot of shopper’s first instinct tells them to start their journey at a chain store, largely because the name is well known and often well-advertised. Although this is a great way to check on prices initially and to get an idea of what you’re looking for, it’s probably not a great idea to purchase from this type of store. Generally, chains tend to mark up prices, even when they say they’re hosting a sale. Your best bet is to actually check out some independent stores in the area, so you can shop at a price that won’t break your budget entirely. Independent dealers are also generally more willing to help you out when it comes to meeting your budgeting needs. Some may even allow you to make payments on your jewelry or to put it on layaway.

7. Always Compare Prices
One of the major problems with jewelry shopping is you have to be sure to compare prices as much as you possibly can. Sometimes, you may come up with the same or close to the same price at many stores, but there’s a few occasions when you may find a deal that will knock your socks off. The key is to check out as many stores as you can in your area. You should also spend some time online seeing if there is a better deal or an item at a lower price that’s similar to what you want. If you love shopping apps then you can easily come up with a variety of prices simply by typing in or scanning an item. This is a great way to speed up the process, but looking around yourself is always more reliable.

8. Know What You’re Looking For
If you already have a general idea of what you want in your fine jewelry then you’ve already done yourself a world of good This will allow you to go into a store and not be coaxed into buying something more expensive or something you’re not interested in. If you can, bring in a photo of the item you want, so the jeweler can give you an estimate or at least help you out when it comes to finding something similar. It may also be wise to know what you’re looking for in a metal or stone. For instance, the weight of the metal is important as is the 4 C’s of a stone. These will help you save money while also helping you to avoid getting ripped off.

9. Hold Out For Sales
Sometimes, the best way to save money is to actually wait it out. A lot of the time, the piece you’re looking for won’t be at a great price until a sale rolls around. Luckily, this time of the year is filled with sales, so you should be able to find a lot of items at a price that won’t hurt your budget. Generally, most stores will hold special holiday clear outs which will offer a wide range of popular items at a reduced price. Although these prices may seem temping, you might want to hold out for the after holiday sales. These are perfect if you’re looking to purchase one of the seasonal items that are popular during the year. Generally, these items will hit the clearance sales after the holidays, so patience is sure to bring savings to your bank account if you can resist the temptation.

10. Know the Details
One of the best ways to keep your savings at a maximum is to know all of the details for the item you wish to buy. For starters, ring size is a huge must. If you’re planning on buying someone a surprise then there’s lots of ways you can figure out the ring size without tipping your special someone off. For instance, you may want to take a ring from their jewelry box and bring it into a store for measurement. If you’re shopping online then there’s a few ways you can figure out your size without having to set foot in a store. Another important thing to keep into consideration is allergies. Some people have adverse reactions to certain metals, which means you may want to look for an alternative or you might want to skip out on jewelry like earrings. Style is also something to consider when you’re looking at gifting a piece of jewelry. If you’re positive you know all of these things then you should be well on your way to saving money without having to worry about refund details.

Jewelry is such a huge part of the holiday season, which is why so many people overspend on these items each season. There are many ways you can avoid the huge price tag of shopping though. With these simple tips you should be able to avoid a lot of the problems that come with jewelry shopping as well as financial issues that burden the season.