Today's useless fact - I'm about to propose to my girlfriend but I can't afford a diamond. Will she be disappointed if I propose without a diamond ring?

I would make two comments on this question. First of all, if you are having trouble coming up with the money for a diamond ring, then maybe you need to look at your financial situation. Do you have the money to support a family? I don't know just what your financial circumstances are, but it does take money to support a family. Are you at least in a position where you are on your way into a career that will allow you to do this? You need to be honest with yourself on this question. Finances are one of the biggest reasons for divorces.

The second thing that I would write is that if both of you agree that you are in a financial position to get married, then, if she rejects you simply because you can't afford a diamond ring, I would say that she is a very shallow, self-centered person and/or not good at budgeting money. Either way, she would not strike me as a good candidate for marriage.

If she accepts the limitations imposed by your budget, then she would be showing a level of maturity that would be conducive to a good marriage. Of course, not knowing either of you I can't be the one that judges whether you two are a match. Ultimately, that is something that each of you must decide. Will she be disappointed if you don't have a ring? Quite possibly. However, the better question is how she deals with the disappointment. Check out the links in our Marriage category for more.