Honestly im really bsd at sticking to one planner. I only have 1 catch all planner but ive been through 4 planners this year. I alway try to give a planner 3 months before giving up but bot always. I research alpt before committing to a purchase and will sowmtimes go back into a planner ive already got. Im getting better and already started researching for next year. I set my budget and decided to get only 1 planner for home and a bullet journal/notebook hybrid for work.

I think another important consideration is where you want to put your support and money. For example, I like supporting small businesses, so I'd rather skip the big brands or huge corporations. It is definitely easier to know the values behind the business as well when you shop smaller. I would rather put my support behind ethical, socially aware, and inclusive brands.

My go to is a Happy Planner Big Dashboard planner for my calendar and planning. I keep it at home on my desk. I use an HP Classic Dashboard just for work, and I keep it there. I have a HP Classic Budget for finances I keep at home. I have Frankenplanned a Classic size with discs for projects like parties, home projects, Christmas, trips, crafts etc. I have an HP Mini Vertical for meal planning and grocery lists. I have the whole week on a small 2 page spread It’s in my bag, and it goes with me to the kitchen and to the store. I have another HP Mini Vertical as my daily creative journal. I’ll add a page if I need more space. This one is going to be bigger next year, probably the Classic size. I have a Commit 30 Deluxe for flushing out steps for 2 businesses. I keep a list of all planners, in use and unused on Google Keep. I check it before I buy more planners. And yes, I decorate a lot of my pages.

I say use whatever works for you and makes you happy. If that's a $80 planner, go for it. I used to use Day Designer and Happy Planner, both of which I love. But now I am using a $6 no name daily planner and a $5 weekly by Gartner Studios from Five Below. Neither are luxurious in any way but my goal has become function over form. And they function just as well for me with no bleed through. The Gartner Studios planner paper is even decent enough to work on my HP discs. At the end of the day, do what works for you do you can live your best life.

Thanks! Another great video! Yes, I am a paper snob! That is the very first thing I look at. That’s why I like Erin Condren. I decorate a lot, use a lot of colored markers & pens. I love the Day Designer brand at Target 🎯 but the paper isn’t heavy enough. Day Designer has some really beautiful covers & I would buy them if they had heavier paper.

Before there were customized planners I always customized my inexpensive planner covers with stickers, paper mache or just with pictures and packing tape. It was always a fun project every January. Thanks so much 🙂💕

I have done a lot of planners, from Big Sky to EC to Laurel Denise and even Silk and Sonder. To me, the single biggest factor in finding a planner is figuring out the layout that works for you. Otherwise, you just aren't going to use it. The planner I currently use has a simple daily layout so it's easy for me to customize it, even on a day-by-day basis if necessary. I think sometimes it's easy to get caught up in the pretty covers, exciting accessories, and such, but if the insides aren't what you need, they'll become useless at best or an obstacle at worst.

Yeah, I prefer my luxury planners and will stick to them. They are definitely worth it for me. However, I also use a few inexpensive calendars from Amazon: I use the LANG Gnome calendar for my desk at home, Katie Daisy's for daily gratitude, Mary Engelbreit's daily calendar just for the artwork, and a Lang Companies calendar for the kitchen wall and family planning.

Thank you for sharing your numbers. So many say that they earn only pocket money on KZfaq and that’s not a very accurate amount. Someone else’s pocket money can be someone’s fortune and vice versa. But sadly it seems that KZfaq will always be just an expensive and time consuming hobby if you don’t build other income streams. Something to think about…

I know you were using EC simply as an example, but you did talk about the price of an EC vs. the budget planner. After you said the price difference was about $45, I did my own math. Using $14.95 x my 10 percent tax rate and no shipping for Prime members, the budget planner would cost me $16.45. For the EC you bought, $70.50 plus 10 percent tax would be $77.55 plus whatever they charge for shipping. Let's just say shipping is $5 (but I bet it's more). That would make an EC planner $82.55, or more than $66 (not $45) over the price of the budget planner. That's 5x the cost. A fancy "keepsake" box and tissue paper, plus the waste of those extra materials, isn't worth it for me. I actually make my own disc-bound planners. I have a laminating machine, a disc hole punch, 80 lb. paper and various sizes of discs. I probably spent the equivalent of two EC planners for my equipment and materials, and I get my own super-customized planners. 😊 Thanks for the review!

In 1997, my boss sent me to a Franklin Quest training, and I immediately fell in love with their 2pg/day planner. I have tried, and enjoyed, different planners, but I always go back to the Franklin Original. It is definitely a preference, heck maybe even loyalty, thing when it comes to planners. Thanks for the content 😃

I have a gazillion planners I recently switched from Erin Condren to Happy Planner. Why? It really helps my mental health with the beautiful different covers and stitcker book option. I’ve purchased the less expensive on Amazon. I’ll write in them for about a week. That’s it. 😊

I have used planners for work for years. I used to use a subject notebook (cheap). As my life and job got more complicated, I got better planners. Yes, I am now a paper snob LOL. I sew also and have often said I am now a fabric snob. It also depends on the purpose.

I heard about the Inamio planner on Facebook and picked it up on Amazon. It's a Japanese style planner but not on Tomoe River paper. The layout is similar to a Hobonichi Cousin. The weekly columns are smaller and you don't get daily pages but there are some grid notes pages. I got mine for less than $10 and I have really enjoyed using it. I have the A5 size. It does come in a larger size.

So many great budget planners! I really miss the Recollections brand at Michael’s. Why would they have discontinued those?! They really were the closest to EC.

Seeing the word scam next to an ECLP is unsettling 😅.

Great discussion. I keep an eye on all the planner companies offerings and currently $60 is the going rate for a nice base 'luxury' planner with coils. I have moved on from Condren to Emily Ley but I always have a good mix of budget planners from Amazon and mostly get my stickers from Happy Planner. Layouts and page colors are the most important to me. I really don't care about the covers and actually hate when I get fancy packaging and a keeper box as that is just extra stuff I need to deal with.

I figure cost over the year. But I don’t upgrade the coil as to me that is pushing it! I also only get it on sale and I get the EC monthly just for my budget/bill paying planner. I carry a ring for EdC.

Thank you for the information. Great video,

I keep going with Erin Condren, since 2018, because I love the paper. The paper, and the ability to customize the planner, is worth it to me.

Great video! For me, paper quality is #1, so I only use EC, or in the past Inkwell Press. I almost went back to IWP this year, just for their paper, but the 7x9 EC compact vertical got me. I'm also a sucker for the gold coil. I can justify buying one EC planner per year because I only buy and use one every year.

I just can't stand coils/rings. I have to have a bookbound or discbound system.

My favorite planner I use is called The Creative Expert from Ross. It’s only $9 and they have different cover designs and layouts. I only seen horizontal layouts. The planer also comes with stickers too. Ross will have some nice planner stickers from the brand The Happy Planner for $4. I don’t if you have a Ross in your area but if you do you should check it out.

My Sterling Ink Common Planner was worth every one of the many, many pennies I spent on it lol. I love the Tomoe River paper, and I'm also very picky about the layout. I need a Hobonichi Weeks style planner, but bigger than that, with enough blank pages in the back to have one page per day for daily journaling/memory keeping. I looked through SO many planners, and Sterling Ink was the only one I found that checked off all of my boxes. Now we're halfway through July, and I've been using that planner every single day since January, and I'm already planning to get another one for 2025. I definitely agree with your point that you shouldn't spend the extra money to get a luxury planner if you don't need it, especially if you're on a tight budget and affording it will be a stretch. But I definitely love mine.

I really enjoy the (disappearing) mid grade planners. Moleskine, Passion planner. I used to like Happy Planner many years ago. I will occasionally treat myself but I feel a bit guilty paying $70+ and jumping in and out.

My "luxury" planner has two features I really like...goal planning and Sunday start calendar but Monday start weekly spread.

Thanks for this great video. I am a long-term erin condren fan, (although this year I am trying May Paper Co.). EC is expensive, but you only have to buy it once a year, and I make sure I think about which one I get, so I dont feel the need to buy another one that same year. For me its about paper quality (which helps me write a lot neater) and lay out. Every time I pick up an EC planner I feel the quality and beauty. It keeps me coming back for more and makes planning on a daily basis such a pleasure. Expensive: Yes. Worth it? For me, absolutely.

I love fancy planners, but as someone who no longer has kids at home, (with all their activities) and doesn’t work outside the home, I just can’t justify that kind of money. I use a hobonichi weeks (that I found discounted on Poshmark because it was March) for my you tube scheduling and personal care tracking. I use a ‘faux’bonichi from Temu for household chores, tracking, and shopping lists, I use a TN style cover for brainstorming and projects. And I carry a passport size TN style cover with WM Pen + Gear’s daily planner, (that I swap out each month) as my purse planner.) Including the nice, leather Patricia Nash covers, and all the different planners, pens, accessories, etc, I have a total of maybe $100 invested. I’ve purchased expensive planners in the past, and I have learned that I’m easily bored and want to change, at least once or twice a year. So this just makes sense, for me. If you’re interested in how I use my system, and customize some Dollar Tree notebooks to fit my covers, you can see @susanpepper1671.

I have been trying to help my son find a planner app that will help him. He is the “out of sight out of Mind” lol I’m trying to help him find something that works for college. Thank you for sharing your insight young man.

A lot of these budget ones are more eco friendly at a basic level as they are less plastic 🌏 🦆

I got a Studio 52 academic planner last year. Quite frankly, I didn’t want to pay much more for the Happy Planner. I loved it! It was very pretty and provided everything I needed as a teacher. I got some cute pens and stickers that matched for a low cost and I was happy as a lark all year. I love luxury stationery items, but sometimes it’s nice to pay less and have something that is both serviceable and attractive. Very informative video - thanks!

Love this topic! I’d say it depends. Some are overpriced imo. But overall the “luxury brands” hold up way better. I use planners basically since I could write and I like to keep them, so cheap planners/notebooks/diaries do not holp up, nor can take all types of pens. If you care for that, then go for better quality. If you only use a ballpoint and don’f care for pages to start falling out and cover to get damaged because you’ll trash it anyways, then it does not matter. Now, drawing the mark between what is expensive or not can be subjective. Even high quality planners can be made with less than 14$ if you have a printer. Buy good paper and buy printable inserts. Good thing is: we have many options to accomodate all tastes, needs and budgets🤗

I buy high quality planners because they are the part of my life that keeps me on track. I need that. I have it open all day every day beside me. Kind of like a computer monitor.

Thank you for starting the conversation on this topic! I’ve actually asked myself this question so many times… One reason I enjoy luxury planners is that I like supporting small businesses in the planner world- many of which are also woman-owned which is a bonus! As a first year teacher, I ordered a teacher planner from 4theloveofpi and I couldn’t be happier! I recognize that small businesses have to charge more for their planners for various reasons and I’m thankful that I’m in the financial position to support them:)

You don't even need a $14.95 planner. That's also expensive. You can do the same thing in a Composition notebook, tbh. It's all about what you like and what you're willing to spend money on. Choose your adventure. Personally, planning is my hobby so I spend all my money on the best. 😀

Love a $10 coiled planner from Bloom Planner. Great paper and format.

This was a really nicely done video the way you presented this topic. I am enjoying my time in my plum paper for the few reasons you mentioned such as customizing my cover, the monthly color changes and being able to add on different sections that fit my season of life.

now that everything is getting expensive,, i always use something luxurious for journaling and memory keeping,, and a cheap one for task and time management :D😀

Best info so far !! Now I’m ready to order lol

Also, you should review some of the TRP planners. Examples are Sterling Ink, Wonderland 222, and Aura Estelle.

I’ll have to watch this when I get home from soccer with my kiddos... but I’m going to say that the investment of an Erin Condren has helped me immensely over the past 11 years. The paper quality, the beautiful designs, etc - they entice me to keep opening my planner every day, and therefore USE it! In the 11 years ai’d had an ECLP, I have tracked income, spending, savings, sinking funds, debt pay-offs (to the tune of $113k on a salary between $42k-$52), and goal tracking. Yes - when Erin was pushed out of her own creation, much of the magic left with her... but the frame of what SHE created remains. So for me, the money I’ve invested has truly been an investment that has paid me back immensely!

I'll say no, they really aren't, amd that doesn't mean I havem't handed over generous amounts for these items, but a $10 planner and a $5 notebook do the same thing.

I think it’s like coffee. Can coffee be made at home? Yes. Do people still like to go out and get coffee? Yes. It’s personal preference, no judgment either way. I do use EC planners, and as a 7x9 daily duo user, it is expensive but it’s my treat. I don’t buy cosmetics or a lot of clothing, I don’t order in food, but I’ll spend the money for the planner I know and love. 😊

I like them all!! I have so many planners, notebooks, high end, low end it doesn't matter!! I cant use it all and I really try not to get more, but I fail miserably. I just love pen and paper planning, wellness tracking, journaling and list making etc. Give me some nice paper and pen and I am content!

I've used an Amazon planner before and it did not hold up well. The pages started ripping out at somewhere between 6 and 9 months. That's also something to consider. Unless you like having a excuse to buy a new planner, lol. 😊

Great video topic! I have used pkanners from target for years and am using my first "big girl" planner this year- i wanted the goals and reflections feature so it was worth it. Ive also bemefited from getting weekly emails from the company with additional journal prompts. SO - i think a lot of it depends on your goals and what you're wanting to achieve with the use of a planner. 😊

Erin Condren is worth it to me because I use it and I keep it afterwards. It is durable, beautiful, and love using it. I have used EC for a decade. I don’t buy things I won’t use so it it is a special treat every year for me. Also I love the planner community.

Thanks so much for this video! I've always gone for the luxury planners and if I've wanted to try a new one, but am not sure about it, I've waited until around this time of the year when many of the companies have really good discounts. I'm in Sprouted for the 2nd year but am missing the colors that EC provides! Don't know what I'll be in next year! Already thinking ahead and it's only July!! 🙄

Ooh never heard of this one but love it! Interestinf

These metrics would also be good for how to choose your next planner :) Loved this 💛 Luxury planners can make the difference between using your planner and not! I remember my first paper planner was actually a bookbound weekly horizontal and had a different color photo of an English countryside garden for each week. It made me want to keep coming back. I was a senior in high school, and I still remember that planner!!