It really doesn't have to be all that hard to find inexpensive engagement rings. Of course most people would like to be able to buy a large, beautiful diamond ring that would knock the socks off of their girlfriend when they propose, but this isn't always possible. Sometimes you just can't afford to spend that much money and need to find a less expensive alternative that will still look nice and show your girlfriend that you care.
When kids first learn about how people propose and get married they tend to play at getting married. They are very creative about what they use for the engagement ring. Many times it is a piece of cereal or candy, or even the pull tab from a soda can! Of course none of these options really work when it comes to an adult proposal since you want your fiance to be able to wear the ring for many years to come and not be embarrassed by it. She probably wouldn't take you as seriously if you proposed with a gummy candy.
The first thing you need to do when searching for cheap engagement rings is imagine what style of ring she would like. Consider the other rings that she might already have, or any pictures she might have shown you when she was hinting for an engagement ring. Maybe she is untraditional and would actually prefer a colored stone that would be less expensive than a diamond. If not, you will want to look into rings that look like they have diamonds even though they do not.
One of the most common alternatives to diamonds is cubic zirconium. Because these stones can look very close to the real thing, some people have even been tricked into paying diamond size prices for them. However, they generally cost about half what a diamond ring would cost.
Of course there are even less expensive cheap engagement rings out there, many of which are made out of plastic. This really is taking things a bit too far though. If you can't afford at least a cubic zirconium ring you should wait and save up some money, both for the ring and for your life together. You are going to need money to pay your basic expenses once you get married.
If you go to your favorite jewelry store they might be able to recommend a place that you can go in order to find a selection of inexpensive engagement rings. They probably won't carry them in the store, but it is likely they know of a place that does. If not, you can search online for this type of ring and there are a large number of websites that sell them. If you check out a few of these sites you are sure to find a ring that you like and that will work out well for you. Since you aren't looking for a real diamond you don't need to worry about being tricked into buying an imitation like some shoppers might be, so it isn't as risky to buy the ring over the internet. However, make sure there is a good return policy and that you buy from a reputable site.