2. The monthly spread - I need a spread for the month, and the boxes are roomy enough for me to write in.
3. I like how each day is blocked out into Morning - Day - Night.
Things I don't like:
2. Bleed through when I use my colored sharpie pens. I've never had a planner that did not bleed through, so this is par for the course.
Things I don't use:
2. The colored stickers. I can see who they would be useful for - one color per kid, one color per sport, etc. It doesn't really apply to me.
3. While I don't refer to this weekly or even monthly, I love that they include 2015 & 2016 calendars in the planner that ends in December 2014. I like to be able to refer ahead. I need to know what years I will have to take off for my birthday.
The Particulars:
1 x 2013-2014 life planner -zen gems (PLN14-19) = $62.50 (base $50)
personalization
line 1 : Stephanie
i would like an 18-month calendar!
july 2013 - december 2014 ($ 5.00)
extra colorful stickers
no, please do not add extra colorful stickers
colorful pens
no, please do not add a set of colorful markers
pen holder
yes, i would like to add an adhesive pen holder ($ 2.50)
2 personalized notepads
no, please do not add notepads
elastic bands
no, please do not add a set of 3 colorful elastic bands
------------------------------------------------------
Sub-Total: $62.50
Shipping Rate (FedEx Economy Ground (2-5 business days)): $8.65
Gift Voucher Amount Redeemed (EGC2002727BXU23RA6): -$25.00
Total: $46.15
FYI - I won the $25 gift card in a giveaway. I got nothing from Erin Condren for this review, it's all my own opinion.
I'm not an electronic calendar girl. Never have been, never will be. I need to write it down in my serial killer handwriting and display it for all of you.
I am not opposed to paying a high price for a planner - I virtually live and die by it. It keeps all of my appointments, it maps out my professional and personal lives, and it keeps me on top of things. I am a former Franklin Covey girl, and the inserts were at least $50/year. I get a lot of value from my planners and I'm willing to pay a high price for them.
Since this planner is 18 months, I'm using it for $3.47 a month. I spend more than that for a large iced coffee at DD once a week, and I love my DD but it's not giving me any long-term payoff.
Paying $3.47/month to be organized and effective is worth it to me. Could I do it for cheaper? Sure. The quality assembly and durability of this planner makes me feel more secure than one I pick up in Target though. It has weight and presence, and the cute design and energetic colors don't hurt either. I consider it money well spent.
Erin Condren, I'm a fan. Put her on your Christmas list this year and kick 2014's ass organizationally.
Linking up with
Haha, I love your review. I just bought a May Book planner, and its cute and fun! But I have loopy girl handwriting and the boxes aren't big enough for all that!
ReplyDeleteLoved this! I have waffled back and forth on this and eventually got another kind of planner, but I agree that writing things down is KEY. Not to mention I almost spit my coffee out on your "serial killer writing" moment. Ha!
ReplyDeleteI live and die by my electronic calendar. It is all synced (phone, laptop, tablet) so I have access no matter where I am. I could not get through a day without it. And while I love the idea of a pretty planner, I know I wouldn't use it or lug it around with me - the only time I effectively used one was for work... and it became cluttered and stuffed with papers and notes... I am an electronic calendar girl through and through!
ReplyDeletei so want to get a planner but i'm worried that i'll use it for like, 3wks and then dump it!
ReplyDelete-kathy
Vodka and Soda
I was just re-reading this post and this comment CRACKS ME UP Kath, you're like planner queen now.
DeleteLike our joint finances, this is something I keep changing up in hopes of finding something that works for me. It gripes me to pay the $15 at Target for a planner...would I use it more if I paid more for it? The calendar in my phone has been working, more or less, but a few weeks ago it had a glitch and I panicked. Maybe it's time to rethink the paper planner idea. Especially with 2 munchkins & full-time work, my organizational skills are about to be put to the fire.
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh, I was just perusing her site, those planners are beautiful!!! I want one of those sparkly ones with the glitter spirals. Love..
ReplyDeleteI was just looking at my planner, and it's not finished until next June 2014. Boo.
I like your serial killer handwriting.
Wow this is such a cute calendar! I needs something that has space for me to write stuff. I apparently have big bubbly writing!
ReplyDeleteI have a May Book, I was so excited when I got it. I just knew I was going to get all organized & stuff! Um, nope, I haven't written a single thing down. I am the worst with the planner stuff. Somehow I keep it all in my little brain...maybe that's why I miss events, dates & deadlines!! LOL!
ReplyDeleteI hate the Wednesdays, too! I guess as we get farther along, the drop will be less drastic. I don't use the stickers at all and I thought I would. I'm not a fan of the morning/day/night personally, but I think it's because I have bubbly handwriting. It's cute, but I may not purchase again. I have til 2015 to decide, though. Glad to read an honest review!
ReplyDeletewhen you break it down like tht it makes much more sense. $3.47 a month really isn't that bad.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the honest review!
ReplyDeleteWould the planner be able to withstand a toddler sized hurricane wind?
I can't go anywhere without mine! Some people thing their EC planner's are way too big, but I LOVE the size, all the space etc etc! I definitely get my money's worth from it!
ReplyDeleteI carry my planner around like a security blankie! Love this review and I have a lot of the same feelings, especially about the contact page!
ReplyDeleteYou should really be paid for this... you might have convinced me :)
ReplyDeleteI like the layout of their planners but I just can't get over the cover designs. I absolutely hate them...
ReplyDeleteYou people and your EC planners...I had one in 2012 and swore I'd never do it again (too bulky)...but...I want one now.
ReplyDeletethanks for the great review, we love to read feedback as it helps us create better products! just pinned to our pinterest boards! enjoy!
ReplyDeleteI am so with you on the things that you don't use. I hate the contacts pages! Useless! And anything further than next year, who cares? And the stickers? Nope. I have a Lilly planner, but my complains are pretty much the same.
ReplyDeleteI feel totally left out of the Erin Condren Planner. I don't use a planner at all. I want to be better organized, and all those colors and pretty designs really appeal to me. I am afraid if I bought one, I would think it was awesome for about 5 days and then it would sit collecting dust. Along with my weight loss food journal, 500 sparkly pens, and all the craft products Pinterest made me buy just to be left unfinished.
ReplyDeleteI had one a couple years ago. And I loved it.... Until I stopped using it. I feel though that I need to get another one, because I am jealous of yours!
ReplyDeleteExcellent review! As you know I just bought a Jonathan Adler agenda. I hope I use it, but I think with my new job I'm going to need to!
ReplyDeleteToo bad that I just bought the Lily Pultizer agenda or else I would have ordered one!
ReplyDeleteI have an Erin Condren planner too!! I LOVE mine so much! I use it everyday. I just started using my 2nd one & it is even better than my first!! I love using sharpies but hate the bleed through so I started using Papermate Flair pens & they work basically the same but do not bleed through the pages!!!! Oh & this is the first planner that I have actually used for the ENTIRE year I had it!!
ReplyDeletePerfect review. Everyone is different so you stated why it did or did not work for your life. I love product reviews even though I know sometimes they are "planted" by competition or by pro-users. I can kind of tell when they are the real deal.
ReplyDeleteSplendid job.
love your MOMMA
Paper planners for the win! I love my EC, but I hemmed and hawed about the price. I love how you broke the price down like that. It makes so much sense!
ReplyDeleteI thought there was actual poop on your planner, and I started reading to hear how the poop got on your planner.
ReplyDeleteGood review! I felt similar about your good vs bad things when I had mine. But I do much prefer my Whitney English now, it's just got so much room for daily writing. ("So much room for activities!")
ReplyDeleteI think I might pull the trigger this year, and get some with the Christmas money that I get. I think I can justify it because I'm going to use it for EVERYTHING - meals, blogging, work, family stuff, etc. And they have a confetti one this year, so that helps too.
ReplyDeleteI think I'm going to finally get one. I have a $25 code too. I have been using a Blue Sky planner from Target for years, which is sooo similar to EC and $10. Ha!
ReplyDeleteAwesome review! I love my LP too! If you're not using your blank stickers, if I sent you my info, can you send them to me??
ReplyDeleteKelsey - I would. Please email me at lifeaccordingtosteph@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThe layout is beautiful, but I need a planner that can change and grow with me. And it's too big for me to carry around!
ReplyDeleteGreat breakdown on the calendar. I have been sing mine since Aug, still working out the bugs.
ReplyDeleteI have my first EC LP and I LOVE it!! Great review and it's nice to see all of what you like and what you don't like!! I ordered extra stickers and have almost used them all! You are welcome to send me your extra stickers if you don't want them!! I am so excited I will have one of these planners year after year. I don't think I could get sick of it!!
ReplyDeleteI love my EC planner too :) I used to hop around from year to year, but I just ordered my second EC in a row (and I even agree about the annoying bleed-through from my Sharpies notes - love my Sharpies!).
ReplyDeleteThanks for the great review.
I LOOOOVE how you priced it to the total $/ month. You literally sold me on it with that line.
ReplyDeleteIf you are a new Erin Condren customer and are interested in ordering, you can use my link to save $10 off your
ReplyDeletefirst purchase (you’ll get a code via e-mail after you register).
https://www.erincondren.com/referral/invite/eringuyton0529
Thank you for this review! I'm reading tons of them, and I love the blunt honesty you have. I don't think everyone truly loves EVERY bit of the LP, and it's refreshing to hear what works and doesn't, and why!
ReplyDeleteLike you, there are things I like and things I dislike. The price is tough to swallow but one I'm happy to pay. Being Canadian, I did not like pay $45 for them paying the duty upfront for me - a whopping $5 so of course they charge an extra $40 for me to cover them "being nice.". Also, I think Erin Condren being so successful outside of the states I wish she would make Calendars with Canadian holidays and such.
ReplyDelete*sorry* should read - I didn't like to pay FedEx $45...
ReplyDeleteI'm new to the EC scene-my Life planner should arrive tomorrow! I would like to use mine as a daily journal, however, Im not certain if the daily pages will be big enough. I also considered using a notepad in the back of the LP... Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteYou don't need to do that much work to stay organized. This planner is so ugly and anal that it looks like it will become your life, rather than being something that helps your life.
ReplyDeleteIt also looks excessively bulky and cluttered. It's horribly laid out.
Worst of all, it's hideously ugly.
Good grief, it's just plain trash.
And people pay for filth like this? Seriously?
I'm sorry you are so outraged about a planner I bought two years ago. I wish you peace. LOL
Delete