When money gets tight, you tend to re-evaluate the things you buy on a regular basis. Do I really need this? If the answer is yes, Do I really need this kind, or can a get a cheaper kind? I find myself doing this a lot lately. And I just noticed my Erin Condren planner is about to expire in three months.
How much would I have to change if I went with a different type of planner?
If you are at all familiar with Erin Condren, you know that they are expensive. No bones about it. Yes, you can rationalize the cost with the fact that you use it daily over the course of a year or 18 months. And the sheer fact that it is expensive is a motivator to many (myself included) to use it on a regular basis. This is the one I like, and now they have a horizontal option for the daily planner, which would fit my planning style better, I think.
But now, when the purchase of that planner (including shipping) would equate to at least a couple of days of work, I begin to re-evaluate… And research. I’ve found that their customer service seems to be sub-par. I’ve never had a problem personally, but there are so many unhappy customers out there, and it worries me that you spend that much on something and there is no telephone number to use on their website, anywhere. I don’t like that.
I’ve found Plum Paper Designs as an affordable alternative. Still a bit pricey, but nowhere near what an Erin Condren planner is. Customer Service reviews seem great. They have some really smart add-ons that EC doesn’t offer, and product reviews seem to get high marks, too. (If you need a 10% discount code, let me know in the comments and I can give you one!)
And yet… I cannot make a decision. I have a product in a cart on both websites, and just cannot commit.
Do any of you have an opinion? Please share.
I will be making a purchase within the next week or so, and I will do a review post on my purchase when it arrives (probably in a month or two). Decisions, decisions…
Simple. I Just Do. 
You can make your own planner pages 🙂 To be honest, the EC layout is very easy to do on Micrsoft Word or Publisher. It’s the colors and the decorative stuff that are hard to replicate (at least for me) – and most people cover them up with stickers anyway.
Pros: You can tailor it to suit your needs, you’ll only be paying for ink and paper and not other people’s labor and product brand name.
Cons: Takes up a lot of time if it’s your first time, and printing mistakes are quite frustrating. You’ll also be the one to provide for a cover and the binding process.
You can also look for free printables on the internet. I plan on making my own printables for 2016 🙂
Hope this helps, and good luck!
I did consider that, but by the time you factor in the punch you would need to buy, the ink, and the time and frustration involved, I figured the cost of the Plum Paper planner to be a bargain. The colors and decorative stuff ARE hard to replicate! Thanks for your input – DIY is a great option out there!