We all know that, even if we’re pretty damned sure she’s going to say yes, popping the question can be stressful. It needs to be done just right. Not only do you want the setting to be perfect to make it memorable for her (women dig that kind of stuff), but you want to make sure that you get the perfect engagement ring and have just the right words to say. No amount of money will buy you the right words, but an engagement ring is supposed to cost you about two month’s salary. For most of us, that means taking out personal loans.

Fortunately, most people can get personal loans. Getting the ring will usually turn out to be the easy part. Finding out her ring size without giving away the fact that you’re going to pop the question can be a bit more problematic. Fortunately, most jewelers can adjust the size for a minimal cost if you don’t get it quite right.

You want to make sure when you’re picking out a ring that you get the best you can afford. That means shopping around a bit, because jewelers can have wildly different prices for what amounts to the same jewelry. Educate yourself a little bit on the 4 C’s of diamonds so you’ll know what you’re looking for. Knowing how to tell the difference between one diamond and the next can not only save you money, but can save you from buying a poor diamond. Trust me, even if you don’t, she knows the difference.

After you have your ring, you’ll want to pick the perfect spot. There are two things you can do here.

• Pick a spot that’s already special to you. Maybe where you went on your first date, or where you shared your first kiss. Someplace that is already embedded in her memory. Asking her in this kind of a place is kind of a safe bet, since you already know that she likes the place, and it already has some meaning to you.

• Go someplace you’ve never been before and create a new, special memory. If you do this, you might want to do a little scouting ahead first. The last thing you want when you’re trying to pop the question is a lot of distracting surprises. If you choose a restaurant or some other place with people around, you might consider giving the staff the heads up so they know to stay out of the way when you’re ready to ask. Trust us on this one, it’s a bad time to keep getting interrupted.

Once she says yes, the truly fun part comes up. Now you get to spend time planning the wedding, honeymoon, and your lives together. Get ready to take out more personal loans. Trust us; this is going to cost a lot more than the ring did by the time you’re done.

Photo via mackarus