How much are you supposed to spend on engagement rings?

This will be one of my shorter blogs. It's just something that a friend brought up today and I thought I should share.
How much do you spend on an engagement ring? A lot of people may disagree with what I'm about to say, and I should say that this is my opinion, but I say that it depends on a number of things. Some say it should be 1 month of your income, some say 2 months, I'm sure we've all heard one answer or another.
You should first look at where you are financially. If things are tight and you already have various debts accumulated, Then don't put yourself deeper into debt. Put a little money aside each paycheck and buy something reasonable. You can always upgrade to something bigger in the future when you can afford it(If that's important to her).
If you don't have a lot of debt, and you don't mind financing it, then okay, go for it.
What bothers me is the overwhelming number of people that think that they need a big rock right from the start. I'm sorry, but no. The ring doesn't make the marriage. It doesn't mean your significant other loves you any less if it's not as big as you want. I blame the media for part of this problem. All the reality TV stars get engaged and have 3 carat or more rings so why shouldn't you? First of all, they can afford. I don't even want to speculate at how much they make per episode because it will probably depress me, but it's probably enough to get the big bling. Second: never shame your significant other into getting something that they can't afford because you are unwilling to be realistic. A marriage is more than a wedding day, and it's more than a new accessory to wear. If your answer is determined by the ring, you are not ready for marriage.
I could go on but I know this rant isn't gonna get any less snarky and I think I made my point well enough.
Goodnight everybody ;)