ERIN CONDREN (Affiliate): bit.ly/2sdBwrw 💰 $10 off first purchase: bit.ly/2AykIRa 🌟 Shop my printables (NEW calendars & habit trackers!): www.patreon.com/amandasfavorites/shop
I’ve been using the monthly planner for about 3 years as my budget planner. I write the daily spending on the monthly spread at the end of the week and highlight the categories. I track my bills and expenses from my paycheck that week on the lined pages. It’s a super simple system but I don’t need anything fancy, I’ve learned that through years of trial and error. I really hope they never get rid of the monthly planner because I don’t know what I would use instead. Oh, also, I don’t use the habit tracker page, I tape those pages together so I can go from month page straight into lined pages.
I love the simple way it works for your budget! and taping the pages is perfect for those who don't need to use them:) Thanks for taking time to share that with us!
The monthly planner is my financial planner. I use the Budget Mom method and get payed weekly. The sheets between the months I figure out weekly budget and track spending. When you’re tracking everything by writing it down, even without the envelopes, you are as cautious with spending. Do I need 2 planners? No but since my planner leaves the house with me, my financial info is home safe and protected if I leave something somewhere. Thank you for being you. I have watched you for a while and always come back. Even if your reviewing planners that I know I would never use because their company doesn’t a line with my beliefs, values, and lifestyle, it’s still nice to see what is out there, I fave gotten a lot of things to try with my own planning. You videos always make my heart happy, kind of like hot apple cider on a cool fall day. It’s a hug in a mug kinda thing.
Awwwww, Jessica! Thank you! Your kind compliments made my day:)- Actually they made my entire week! Thank you for this virtual hug:) I also loved hearing how you use the Monthly planner for your budget. I am with you and would want to leave all my budget information at home and protected too. You have a beautiful week. And thank you for being here:)
I reviewed their Work Life Balance Planner a while back when they added it to the site at the same time as some new journals. It’s a hidden gem of a planner! It was nice to see they finally sent one in a collab box.
I love monthly planners. This is the first year I haven't used one and I really miss it. I usually use one as my catch all and love the structure of the dated calendar with the freedom of the notes pages.
I have been a monthly user for a while. I have bought monthly planners for my scripture studies for years! Years! So I can speak from experience. You do not get a bookmark with the monthly. But, I do think I have received a perpetual book with mine before. Yes, you have been able to add extra pages in the monthly for a while now. Allows more pages if you need them. Anyone has questions let me know. I’ve used a monthly for several years.
Thank you so much for chiming in on those things! Now it is all up on the website...so anyone should be able to view it. Unfortunately when I made the video it's not on the website and I only have info they send me in an email.
I think that the habit tracker in the sticky book would be better if it was a "100 day challenge" or something longer than a week. Because with it being on a sticky, you can easily move it from week to week. And the current sticky with only a week of tracking , those dots are crazy huge. And any planner tends to have weekly trackers already. But a 100 day challenge tracker or 30 day tracker that can easily move around the planner as needed, would be a unique product.
I’ve used my monthly planner as a meeting notes notebook in the past. But I love those meeting notes pages in that new planner. That would be an amazing stand alone notebook or add on section for the regular planner.
Thank you so much - I switched from vertical to monthly with my own weekly set up during Covid and have never looked back. I’ll be using your affiliate link when I order ♥️
Thanks for the reviews. It's a shame about the dot marker bleeding. I love the monthly. I would use each lined page not as a weekly, but dedicate pages to certain monthly aspects. Like one page for meal planning and shopping lists. Another page for exercise tracking and sleeping, vitamins, etc. Another page for reading/other hobbies/projects for the month. Another for housekeeping for the month, etc
I use their monthly layout as a brain dump. When the monthly calendars are out-of-date, I tear out the used pages and the leftover blank pages become a "new" notebook.
Both good planner options and a great review! I love Han Can Plan and her stickers. Been following her for awhile now. Her designs are definitely my style whether it be the functional or decor.
@@AmandasFavorites I have never actually had room in our budget before but I think I am going to get a monthly and a notebook next year and use her decor stickers in my notebook I will use as a journal.
I get a EC monthly planner every year. It's my favorite product from them. I use it as a budget planner. ☺I was super surprised when my clean color dot markers bleed through. 😐 I just don't use them in my EC planner anymore. no biggie. I don't need the tracker so I don't use it but I can see how most people would prefer the dot grid.
I always come back to the monthly. I thought I would like the habit tracker, but the dots don't work for my brain. I cover that entire page with box stickers. I have used the lined pages for brain dumps, to do lists, prayers or a memory photo page to sum up the month.
That's pretty standard for dot markers, even if you use very light colors. I've used every brand out there searching for one that doesn't bleed, with no luck. The honest truth is that's its all in the wrist. If you take even a breath while you have that marker down on the page, pressing to get that big dot, you Juice out so much ink! It can be done, though. You just have to practice the motion it takes to get your preferred dot size so you can do it very, very quickly.
Thank you so much for explaining that! So helpful:) I have used the zig dot markers but not much and not in my planner...I am not very knowledgeable about dot markers at all!
Thanks Amanda for your detailed review, you remain awesome! BOO! They kept that nightmare dashboard. I’ve used Erin Condren monthly for a few years,and now I am done. That dashboard is a major deal breaker for me and I cant even tear it out!!!! Just went and bought another monthly planner from PlumPaper. While the PP additional plastic cover might chip, the trademark cover remains durable,even with me shopping it around in my bag! And Plum paper’s dashboard is not scripted. Thumbs up to AMANDA! Thumbs down Erin Condren monthly planner! BTW monthly does not come with ruler or perpetual calendar and hasn’t since I have been buying it.
Thank you for letting me know about the packet and ruler and confirming that. I love your honest review of the monthly! I hope the Plum Paper serves you well:) Have a good week!
The work-life planner was a sneaky release right before the LifePlanners launched. I ordered one to keep at work if I need to have a daily but also because the meeting notes section is a great setup for the meetings that I regularly attend. Anyway, thanks for your review!
@@AmandasFavorites I mean, it's pretty new! And they didn't really advertise it at all. I just happened upon it and I bought it when they had the insider sale before the LP launch. I like it, but I'd rather have the last section as a whole notebook! :)
They don't have a monthly A5. They do have A5 notebooks...I don't think they come in dot grid- can't remember off the top of my head:) Those would be great options to add for sure:)
I don’t think they offered this monthly in the canvas last year so I’m glad they offered that this time. The dots showing through the month would have annoyed me, too.
I was super excited to see a video on the monthly planner - but I had to hear sales ads for sticker kits and trackers 😢 I understand that, I do, it’s just the way it is unfortunately.
I am not making an ounce of money off hancanplan stickers. I just share things I love. I also have time stamps in all my videos so you go directly to whatever you want to see in the video;)
It’s such a pet peeve of mine. I have to rub off the residue so I can have a clean sticky note to write on. I think this is an issue across the board with many of the EC sticky notes.
The paper seems the same! Top notch:) I have leaned from many comments that the Dot markers of any brand almost always bleed through paper. They said you must have a very light hand and practice with them to get it just right.
ALL dot markers bleed thru everything I've tried except thick cardstock. I feel like it's the mechanism of using the dot tip. Same result as if you take any marker and press the tip straight into the paper.
Work-life had me until the “meeting section” - as a nurse don’t have meetings so that would be a waste and can’t think of what I’d use that for so I don’t want to pay $25 4x a year for that. But I like that they came up with this idea. They just need to tweak that.
it's always disappointing that the monthly doesn't come with the life planner packet of goodies, no coupons. It's still a planner just not THE planner but it's not like it's way cheaper or way different!
The washi strips in the matchbook are very much like the Keeta (so?) by Midori - same thing happens, the whole lot of strips falls out. again the life work planner has lines and they are so fat, so much wasted space but I thought I do like the layout!
Wow those markers are a huge disappointment!! I’ve always wanted dot markers but those zig dot marker can be expensive and glitter would be so cool and I’m 40 lol 😂 someone didn’t do their quality control on those!! That’s pretty bad that they bleed through 80lb paper lol and for the Sticky note pads, they need to use better adhesive or team up with post-it or bic I think even had some good sticky notes!
Well now I've been educated on dot markers...it's actually very common for them all to bleed through:( You have to have a very light hand and really practice to help them not bleed badly. A good reason for me not to use them in my planning.
I personally like a numbered tracker too;) And i've heard so many people wish it wasn't there. It's a waste of space for me too personally- but I don't use the monthly planner...I am glad it's not in the weekly life planner.
$25.50 for 3 mos.! (Life-work planner) Calculates to $102 for a full year. 👎👎. Absolutely not interested! I love the format but I’ll just keep using a similar format in a plain notebook.
Well that's almost as much as the daily duo. And if you get it on a 30% off sale it's totally worth it IMO if it's what you love and and what works for you;) But I understand...most of the time a plain notebook can do the job! Notebooks are my favorite planning tool!
ERIN CONDREN (Affiliate): bit.ly/2sdBwrw
💰 $10 off first purchase: bit.ly/2AykIRa
🌟 Shop my printables (NEW calendars & habit trackers!): www.patreon.com/amandasfavorites/shop
I’ve been using the monthly planner for about 3 years as my budget planner. I write the daily spending on the monthly spread at the end of the week and highlight the categories. I track my bills and expenses from my paycheck that week on the lined pages. It’s a super simple system but I don’t need anything fancy, I’ve learned that through years of trial and error. I really hope they never get rid of the monthly planner because I don’t know what I would use instead. Oh, also, I don’t use the habit tracker page, I tape those pages together so I can go from month page straight into lined pages.
I love the simple way it works for your budget! and taping the pages is perfect for those who don't need to use them:) Thanks for taking time to share that with us!
The monthly planner is my financial planner. I use the Budget Mom method and get payed weekly. The sheets between the months I figure out weekly budget and track spending. When you’re tracking everything by writing it down, even without the envelopes, you are as cautious with spending. Do I need 2 planners? No but since my planner leaves the house with me, my financial info is home safe and protected if I leave something somewhere. Thank you for being you. I have watched you for a while and always come back. Even if your reviewing planners that I know I would never use because their company doesn’t a line with my beliefs, values, and lifestyle, it’s still nice to see what is out there, I fave gotten a lot of things to try with my own planning. You videos always make my heart happy, kind of like hot apple cider on a cool fall day. It’s a hug in a mug kinda thing.
Awwwww, Jessica! Thank you! Your kind compliments made my day:)- Actually they made my entire week! Thank you for this virtual hug:) I also loved hearing how you use the Monthly planner for your budget. I am with you and would want to leave all my budget information at home and protected too. You have a beautiful week. And thank you for being here:)
I reviewed their Work Life Balance Planner a while back when they added it to the site at the same time as some new journals. It’s a hidden gem of a planner! It was nice to see they finally sent one in a collab box.
Thank you for sharing that! I had never seen it...and assumed it was new...LOL! I shouldn't do that because EC does have a lot of hidden products!
I love monthly planners. This is the first year I haven't used one and I really miss it. I usually use one as my catch all and love the structure of the dated calendar with the freedom of the notes pages.
It is a good balance:)
I have been a monthly user for a while. I have bought monthly planners for my scripture studies for years! Years! So I can speak from experience. You do not get a bookmark with the monthly. But, I do think I have received a perpetual book with mine before. Yes, you have been able to add extra pages in the monthly for a while now. Allows more pages if you need them. Anyone has questions let me know. I’ve used a monthly for several years.
Thank you so much for chiming in on those things! Now it is all up on the website...so anyone should be able to view it. Unfortunately when I made the video it's not on the website and I only have info they send me in an email.
Do you know if they will do a monthly UNDATED?
@@BarbBColorReader I have never seen an undated from them. Not in monthly or in the life planner.
Thank you so much for showing the habit tracker dots on the monthly view…that will bug me for sure because I was going to get the Evolve design.
Yeah, that would annoy me also.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for turning me on to Han Can Plan! I love seasonal/holiday decor too! 💕
You are so welcome!
I think that the habit tracker in the sticky book would be better if it was a "100 day challenge" or something longer than a week. Because with it being on a sticky, you can easily move it from week to week. And the current sticky with only a week of tracking , those dots are crazy huge. And any planner tends to have weekly trackers already. But a 100 day challenge tracker or 30 day tracker that can easily move around the planner as needed, would be a unique product.
I love the idea of a 100 day tracker:)
I’ve used my monthly planner as a meeting notes notebook in the past. But I love those meeting notes pages in that new planner. That would be an amazing stand alone notebook or add on section for the regular planner.
Oh, good idea for those that need a lot of them:)
Thank you so much - I switched from vertical to monthly with my own weekly set up during Covid and have never looked back. I’ll be using your affiliate link when I order ♥️
I love hearing how flexible the monthly is for you! And thank you so much for the support!
Thanks for the reviews. It's a shame about the dot marker bleeding. I love the monthly. I would use each lined page not as a weekly, but dedicate pages to certain monthly aspects. Like one page for meal planning and shopping lists. Another page for exercise tracking and sleeping, vitamins, etc. Another page for reading/other hobbies/projects for the month. Another for housekeeping for the month, etc
Love your idea about dedicating a page to each category of life! Thanks for taking time to share:)
Love that idea!!!!
Thank you so much for your thorough, honest review! ❤
You are so welcome!
I use their monthly layout as a brain dump. When the monthly calendars are out-of-date, I tear out the used pages and the leftover blank pages become a "new" notebook.
I LOVE this creative use of the monthly planner! Thank you for sharing it with us;)
Both good planner options and a great review! I love Han Can Plan and her stickers. Been following her for awhile now. Her designs are definitely my style whether it be the functional or decor.
Hey Susanne:) Great testimonial to Hannah's stickers:) I love her designs too:)
@@AmandasFavorites I have never actually had room in our budget before but I think I am going to get a monthly and a notebook next year and use her decor stickers in my notebook I will use as a journal.
The work life planner is a really interesting undated daily! Thanks for sharing. And, yes, Han Can Plan stickers are the best 💛
Yes they are! thanks for watching:)
I didn't know you could book Mark affiliate links! I love that thank you for showing me!
Oh, good! Thank you for watching and caring to support:)
I get a EC monthly planner every year. It's my favorite product from them. I use it as a budget planner. ☺I was super surprised when my clean color dot markers bleed through. 😐 I just don't use them in my EC planner anymore. no biggie. I don't need the tracker so I don't use it but I can see how most people would prefer the dot grid.
That's a great testimonial to this planner working for budgeting:) Have a good weekend Vickie:)
I always come back to the monthly. I thought I would like the habit tracker, but the dots don't work for my brain. I cover that entire page with box stickers. I have used the lined pages for brain dumps, to do lists, prayers or a memory photo page to sum up the month.
I have heard many that ignore or cover the habit tracker too. I love your uses for the lined pages:)
That's pretty standard for dot markers, even if you use very light colors. I've used every brand out there searching for one that doesn't bleed, with no luck. The honest truth is that's its all in the wrist. If you take even a breath while you have that marker down on the page, pressing to get that big dot, you Juice out so much ink! It can be done, though. You just have to practice the motion it takes to get your preferred dot size so you can do it very, very quickly.
Thank you so much for explaining that! So helpful:) I have used the zig dot markers but not much and not in my planner...I am not very knowledgeable about dot markers at all!
I use the zig dot markers all the time and I find that they don't bleed through the regular EC paper, but they do a little on the EC soft bound paper.
Thanks Amanda for your detailed review, you remain awesome! BOO! They kept that nightmare dashboard. I’ve used Erin Condren monthly for a few years,and now I am done. That dashboard is a major deal breaker for me and I cant even tear it out!!!! Just went and bought another monthly planner from PlumPaper. While the PP additional plastic cover might chip, the trademark cover remains durable,even with me shopping it around in my bag! And Plum paper’s dashboard is not scripted. Thumbs up to AMANDA! Thumbs down Erin Condren monthly planner! BTW monthly does not come with ruler or perpetual calendar and hasn’t since I have been buying it.
Thank you for letting me know about the packet and ruler and confirming that. I love your honest review of the monthly! I hope the Plum Paper serves you well:) Have a good week!
Love this - thank you for sharing!
Glad you enjoyed it!
The work-life planner was a sneaky release right before the LifePlanners launched. I ordered one to keep at work if I need to have a daily but also because the meeting notes section is a great setup for the meetings that I regularly attend. Anyway, thanks for your review!
Thanks for sharing that it isn't new! LOL! I need to do more research before I claim that again:)
@@AmandasFavorites I mean, it's pretty new! And they didn't really advertise it at all. I just happened upon it and I bought it when they had the insider sale before the LP launch. I like it, but I'd rather have the last section as a whole notebook! :)
Do they have a monthly A5? Or A5 dot grid? I like EC, but I haven’t seen those options. Did I miss it somehow?
They don't have a monthly A5. They do have A5 notebooks...I don't think they come in dot grid- can't remember off the top of my head:) Those would be great options to add for sure:)
Is the coil for the monthly planner as thick as the regular planner coil?
It is the same as a 12 month planner;)
I don’t think they offered this monthly in the canvas last year so I’m glad they offered that this time. The dots showing through the month would have annoyed me, too.
Oh, that's good to know about canvas and last year;)
I was super excited to see a video on the monthly planner - but I had to hear sales ads for sticker kits and trackers 😢 I understand that, I do, it’s just the way it is unfortunately.
I am not making an ounce of money off hancanplan stickers. I just share things I love. I also have time stamps in all my videos so you go directly to whatever you want to see in the video;)
That sticky note residue 😫
It’s such a pet peeve of mine. I have to rub off the residue so I can have a clean sticky note to write on. I think this is an issue across the board with many of the EC sticky notes.
I know! It's very sad:(
@CreatingSelfCarePlans I totally get the pet peeve. I've not purchases EC but other brands seem to struggle with it too
How many daily pages are there between weeks?
They have the full 7 daily pages every week;)
@@AmandasFavorites Hurrah! That's awesome!
im shocked that the dots bleed through... wondering if they are changing the quality of the paper , I've been using ECLP for over 10yrs.
The paper seems the same! Top notch:) I have leaned from many comments that the Dot markers of any brand almost always bleed through paper. They said you must have a very light hand and practice with them to get it just right.
ALL dot markers bleed thru everything I've tried except thick cardstock. I feel like it's the mechanism of using the dot tip. Same result as if you take any marker and press the tip straight into the paper.
Other comments today have taught me that exact thing! Good observation!
Work-life had me until the “meeting section” - as a nurse don’t have meetings so that would be a waste and can’t think of what I’d use that for so I don’t want to pay $25 4x a year for that. But I like that they came up with this idea. They just need to tweak that.
I agree that those pages would be better just lined and make it much more versatile:)
How many Weekly pages are in the Work-Life Planner?
There are 3 months and 5 weeks per month. So 15 total weeks in that work life planner;)
I wouldn’t mind the monthly if the paper was graph or dot grid- so much easier to adapt to other configurations- I really dislike lines now
That's a good idea....maybe at least half the month with dot grid or graph pages.
I wonder if she tried cleaning with a baby wipe or damp microfiber cloth, even with a drop of dawn
it's always disappointing that the monthly doesn't come with the life planner packet of goodies, no coupons. It's still a planner just not THE planner but it's not like it's way cheaper or way different!
I agree! It should come with the packet and perpetual planner.
The washi strips in the matchbook are very much like the Keeta (so?) by Midori - same thing happens, the whole lot of strips falls out. again the life work planner has lines and they are so fat, so much wasted space but I thought I do like the layout!
Thanks for sharing your thoughts on the line spacing and washi strips:)
Wow those markers are a huge disappointment!! I’ve always wanted dot markers but those zig dot marker can be expensive and glitter would be so cool and I’m 40 lol 😂 someone didn’t do their quality control on those!! That’s pretty bad that they bleed through 80lb paper lol and for the Sticky note pads, they need to use better adhesive or team up with post-it or bic I think even had some good sticky notes!
Well now I've been educated on dot markers...it's actually very common for them all to bleed through:( You have to have a very light hand and really practice to help them not bleed badly. A good reason for me not to use them in my planning.
I use the zigdot markers all the time in my EC. You have to have a light touch and it works. Don’t press hard and hold it. ❤
:( I wish I had a light hand but I’m more of a press hard kinda gal. That’s super disappointing actually.
I really dislike that dashboard. 😂 and I don’t understand a monthly tracker that isn’t numbered. But the tracker is a waste of space for me.
I personally like a numbered tracker too;) And i've heard so many people wish it wasn't there. It's a waste of space for me too personally- but I don't use the monthly planner...I am glad it's not in the weekly life planner.
$25.50 for 3 mos.! (Life-work planner) Calculates to $102 for a full year. 👎👎. Absolutely not interested! I love the format but I’ll just keep using a similar format in a plain notebook.
Well that's almost as much as the daily duo. And if you get it on a 30% off sale it's totally worth it IMO if it's what you love and and what works for you;) But I understand...most of the time a plain notebook can do the job! Notebooks are my favorite planning tool!
How about Erin Condren knock off the sky high prices. Will never buy these scams.