Archive for the ‘Miscellaneous’ Category:
Don’t Waste Money on a Class Ring
Of all the crap my parents or I spent money on during high school (so far), I can’t think of anything more ridiculous than my class ring. And mine would be considered modest at a cost of “only” $200 (This is a rough estimate. I can’t honestly remember, but I know it wasn’t over 300.)
Once the novelty wears off after a few weeks, you have this ring that doesn’t do much except look nice. Engagement rings and wedding rings actually represent something: your love for another person that is supposed to last until death do you part. High school class rings represent what exactly? Your status as a high school student? Whoa. Sign me up.
At my school, class rings are ordered during the sophomore year so you get about 2.5 years worth of use out of your expense before you go to college and decide it isn’t cool anymore. Guess how much use I got. Two months. Yep, I lost my ring shortly after I got it and haven’t seen it since.
Boom! $200 just exploded in a cloud of fiery destruction.
Now, I could replace it for 60 bucks thanks to Josten’s “Ring Protection Plan”, but why give them more money for something I’m not going to wear?
You don’t have to buy one!
One of my best friends never ordered a ring and guess how much his life has changed. None. It’s a complete non-factor. I really don’t know how else to say this except for IT DOES NOT MATTER! If your friends say you must be “poor” or “cheap”, then you need some new friends.
The amount of money spent on class rings is ridiculous. One classmate of mine bragged about how his ring cost around $500 and had diamonds (which actually are not rare by the way. There are vaults filled literally with tons of diamonds!). This guy is a douchebag to say the least.
And the best reason why you shouldn’t waste money on a class ring: You could use it for something else! No, not an Xbox. (although you can use that a helluva lot more…) Seriously. Add the cash to your college fund. Buy some savings bonds. Use it to increase your car savings. Pretty much anything useful or an investment would be a step up from buying a class ring.
After all this, I will say you should totally get a class ring if:
- You’ve saved up for one and have savings in check for college and car (or other important things you’re interested in)
- Your parents are paying for it and won’t take no for any answer. (You could try to persuade them to save it for you.)
As for me, I wish I could have my (parents’) $250 back. I could use it for something I’d actually value.
Welcome to The Financial Student
Welcome to The Financial Student!
In this blog, I’ll discuss the financial matters that affect teens and young adults the most. From saving for college to understanding how to file taxes for the first time, The Financial Student is here to guide and explain everything.
I hope you’ll stick around to see what I have to offer.
Check back tomorrow for the launch!
