Jewelers offered this 26-year-old a free $6,500 engagement ring. He turned them down and DoorDashed 89 nights instead
Last year, 26-year-old Bradley Cho bought a condo. Despite him and his girlfriend both being "in love" with the place it came with a huge caveat: "It made me so house poor I couldn't even afford to propose because the ring she deserves? $6,500" Cho said in a TikTok .
His drained savings didn't stop him from putting his best foot forward and saving up to get his girlfriend — now fiance — the ring of her dreams. Cho decided that on top of his corporate 9 to 5, he was going to start DoorDashing to save extra money to buy the ring and propose.
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89 nights later
It took Cho 89 nights of DoorDashing to save up the $6,500 he needed to buy the ring, and he documented the whole process on his social media. Day 1 was December 8, 2025 and his final day was August 5, 2026.
Cho's videos got so popular that even jewelers were leaving comments offering him special deals and free engagement rings, but he didn't want to take them up on their offers. He told Fox that he wanted to maintain his integrity and truly earn the ring for his girlfriend.
"Picking up side work and working hard, I think, for the things that you know you want, to treat our loved ones too, that's always been pretty core to who I am" he said.
It wasn't always smooth sailing for Cho — he had to take time off when he got sick for two weeks, and deal with his car breaking down in the cold. "There were so many times I questioned if it would be worth it," he wondered " what if i just took one of the free rings? "
"That's the part I'm most proud of," he concluded "not the money or the ring, but no matter how hard my day was, I didn't stop showing up and now I finally hit the goal."
Cho's story is a pretty inspiring tale of how a side hustle can help you achieve a dream, but it may not be possible for everyone to work an extra job after a full day of work. Still, if you have someone special you want to propose to — or buy an expensive gift for — there are other ways you can do it.
Saving for an engagement ring without a side hustle
Depending on the price of the ring you want to buy, these methods might not earn you enough for a ring in 89 days, but they are useful tools to set you on the right track.
First, find out what your future fiancee wants, and set a budget with that in mind. This will help you avoid over-spending while still giving them the ring they've always imagined.
You should also consider opening a savings account for this specific goal. A high-interest savings account that has no fees, flexible withdrawals and a solid interest rate or promotional rate, can set you up for success by helping your money grow as you save and will be easy to access when you're ready to pop the question.
Starting early can be key. Ideally, you want the funds ready when you're ready, rather than postponing the move until you've got enough cash to make it. So it's not a bad idea to set up a savings goal if you know the big decision is around the corner.
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This article originally appeared on Moneywise.com under the title: Jewelers offered this 26-year-old a free $6,500 engagement ring. He turned them down and DoorDashed 89 nights instead
This article provides information only and should not be construed as advice. It is provided without warranty of any kind.
