Hello!!
So if you go here, this wonderful human has put together a wonderful, in-depth look at the most popular planners on the marker right now.
For a brief overview of my personal favorites, stay put.
Also, keep in mind for reference: an Erin Condren Planner can run you anywhere from $55 (if you leave it entirely un-customized) to $75 if you go full on metallic and add the remaining months of 2016. So I’m just going to say that most planners that can compare to an Erin Condren are going to be expensive, just most of them won’t hit that $75 mark and will stay around the $55 end. If you’re really on a budget, your best bet will be to go stalk the planner aisle at Target, Staples, Office Depot, etc and find the best deal. But for one that’s specifically comparable to Erin Condren, stick around.
So for me personally, I LOVE the Passion Planner. It’s clean, it’s inspiring, and you can slap stickers (like the vinyl kind you stick on your laptop) all over the cover and not feel bad about it.
Passion Planner $29.99 (8.5″ x 11″) or $24.99 (5.5″ x 8.5″)
This was the planner I switched to once Erin Condren planners got too expensive for my broke college student self. I like the Erin Condren because it’s weekly, not daily, and while my days are busy, I have no need for an entire page dedicated to one. Also, because my schedule each day is primarily based on classes, work, and meetings, it’s helpful to have an hourly layout.
Pros:
The compact version is a terrific size
Insanely durable. I carried this thing around for an entire school year and it was in near perfect condition by the time I was done.
This is perfect for someone who has a concrete, hourly schedule, like a student
Comes in Academic versions (August - August), Yearly (Jan - Dec), or undated, so you can use the planner in whatever way best fits your needs.
Space for notes at the bottom of each week
Walks you through goal-planning
Has a reflection space for each month
Simplistic, not extra bells and whistles
A pocket in the back (!!!)
Cons:
You’re not able to customize it, though sometimes limited edition styles will be released (which are always awesome).
The lines are small in the compact version, so sometimes you may run out of room.
The full size version is almost too large unless you’re leaving it at your desk, and not carrying it around everywhere.
Simplified Planner by Emily Ley $58
So this one is still on the pricey side, which is a downer, but it offers a daily layout, which is something the Erin Condren is lacking. I’ve been wanting to try the Simplified Planner, but for $58, and times that are on the hour, not the half hour, I haven’t been able to make myself do it.
Pros:
Beautiful
Daily layout with both an hourly schedule, as well as a section for your to-do list.
Metal corner covers to protect it in your backpack.
Nice paper quality (or so I’ve heard?)
Cons:
Hourly increments, not half hour
Goodness knows I don’t need that much space each day, I’ll just fill it up with junk that isn’t important
Still pretty expensive
Not customizable
Purposeful Planner $52 (on sale for $41.50!!!)
These are beautiful, and come in daily or weekly editions. They’re still a bit pricey, but are currently on sale. They look classic, and the layout is neat.
Pros:
Daily layout goes from 6am to 10pm
Weekly spread is an option!
Place to log your water intake.
Brain dump space.
A tip for how to make your life better/more organized/healthier for 15 minutes every day.
Did I mention pretty??
Cons:
Still expensive.
Hourly increments, not half hour (though there’s a second line for each hour so it’s pretty much half hour)
It’s apparently pretty large, so if you’re looking for something small you can tuck in a purse of a small book bag pocket, this probably isn’t the one for you.
Other honorable mentions
liveWELL Planner $54
Get to Work Book $55
So as you can see, most planners like the Erin Condren are going to be expensive, there just isn’t a way around it. If you’re looking for the cheapest option, Passion Planner is the way to go, but there are plenty of planners that will run you the lower end of Erin’s price range.
Happy Planning!!