Daily Cheapskate: The value of getting lower-end jewelry, and the 1SaleADay Flash Sale on under-$10 jewelry

6/20/2012

The value of getting lower-end jewelry, and the 1SaleADay Flash Sale on under-$10 jewelry

The 1SaleADay Flash Sale today is featuring jewelry under $10. So why buy jewelry under $10? Isn't it junk?

Here are four reasons that I like buying the occasional lower-end piece of jewelry:

You can treat yourself for a song. Jewelry is a special accessory that brings a little sparkle into your day and your look, so if you can acquire it for the price of a few boxes of cereal, why not give yourself the occasional treat? And gentlemen, there is nothing like giving your SigOth a sweet little piece of jewelry, just because it's Wednesday. Try it.
It's vacation season. Other than my wedding rings, I never travel with my good jewelry...it all goes in the bank safe. But I still like to accessorize. So instead of the beautiful Japanese pearls that my husband gave me as a wedding present, I wear my $19.99 freshwater pearl strand. If I lose it or it gets stolen, I don't blink.
Sometimes I want a piece of jewelry that's very trendy (hello Michal Negrin-style bracelets). Never invest a lot of money in something that you probably won't want to wear next year.
Jewelry never makes you look fat. ;)

Even in lower-end jewelry, insist on quality materials. Obviously, you're not going to get 14 karat gold for less than $10, but you can certainly pick up some beautiful sterling silver. You're not going to get high-end precious gems like natural emeralds or sapphires, but you can get some pretty Swarovski crystals, man-made gems, freshwater pearls, or lower-end semi-precious gems like white topaz or garnets.

That said, here are my picks from today's the 1SaleADay Flash Sale: