Men from Cork spend more on an engagement ring for their loved one than men from any other county in Ireland according to a recent study by retailer Littlewoods.
They revealed that engagement rings costing more than €3500 are sold in Cork more frequently than anywhere else. The average spend in Dublin is €2149, and Galway is €1449.
The county with the lowest average spend was Westmeath where €729 is considered enough by would-be grooms planning to get down on one knee.
Across the country the average spend on engagement rings is lower than it has been in the past, with young couples now more focused on saving for and decorating their own homes. Weddings are expensive events and couples are trying to reduce costs as best they can in order to plan for their future.
Karen Nason of Littlewoods said: “A well-equipped, comfortable marital home looks like it is now becoming more important than jewellery. It would appear that fine furnishings bring a greater gleam to Irish women’s eyes than any expensive diamond.”
The shift in priorities is unsurprising as many young couples can struggle to save enough money to buy their own homes.
The Littlewoods study found that the items which Irish women consider more important than an expensive ring are a deposit on a new home, a new kitchen, comfortable three piece suites, large beds, wide screen TVs and other household equipment.
