Disclosure: If you make a purchase through the links posted below, I may receive a small compensation. Read the full disclosure.
My Erin Condren Life Planner arrived over the weekend and I thought I’d do a quick review on it in case you are on the fence about ordering. In case you aren’t familiar, Erin Condren Life Planners are like the Rolls Royce of planners. Sure you can get organized with a $10 planner, but you’ll probably have more fun with this one.
This is my second EC planner. My first was in 2012. I opted for a different (but similar) brand in 2013 (which I really did like), but am going back to EC in 2014 because the cover and tabs on EC planners are much sturdier than my current one and I am kind of rough on things.
Erin Condren has tons of options for the cover and they can also be customized with pictures, colorings, sayings, etc. I went with the zip-zag planner which is shown on the site in “multi”, “hot pink” and “turquoise”, but I customized mine in orange (no additional charge).
Compared with my old EC planner and my planner from this year, these tabs are much sturdier (they revamped them last year I believe?) and will hold up in my bag much better. There are tabs for each month, contacts, notes, birthdays / anniversaries, etc.
The planners have monthly “summary” calendars and also daily calendars which are broken down by morning, afternoon and night. The sides of those pages contain space for daily notes and goals while the bottom includes additional space for meal planning, exercise, to-dos. I always find that there is plenty of space for everything I need to enter and never ran out of space. I am planning (to use my planner) for even more in 2014 and I’ll have plenty of room. I really really really want to use for meal planning, but we’ll have to see about that. That might be too much for me to plan.
The best part (IMO) of the Life Planner is the details. It’s got bright fun colors, inspirational quotes and pretty much makes you want to drop everything you are doing and start planning. You can add customized stickers and all sorts of other fun stuff as well.
See, isn’t that cute? The pouch and matching stickers are all included with the price of the planner. The front and back cover (both front and back of each page) are customized based on your selections, but the rest of the planner itself is standard. I opted for the 2014 planner (12 months), but if you are itching to get started, you can opt for a 15 month calendar (October 2013 – December 2014) for an additional $5.
Oh, I should also mention that I purchased an address book too, which I am SUPER excited about. I currently have my addresses stored in the computer in a Christmas address labels and no where else. I have been wanting a real address book for years and I this one is perfect. Yeah, I know I could store / plan all this on my computer, but there are some things I like in paper form better and this is one of them! I used to write everyone’s addresses in pencil because when we were all younger people would move frequently and if I wrote in pen I’d have been crossing so many things off and it would have been a mess. But I think now that we are all grown-ups it will be much neater and I will be able to write it pen ;).
What do you think of the Erin Condren Life Planner? Love it? Or is it cute but just not for you? If you are a new Erin Condren customer and are interested in ordering, you can use my link to save $10 off your first purchase (you’ll get a code via e-mail after you register). Lots of people use that $10 discount to order pens or something small that they would order for their planner anyway. Because once you make that first purchase you can use coupon code “GIFT20“(expires on 12/31/13) to save $20 off your purchase! PLUS, my planner order came with a $10 gift card to use in the future! Which is awesome since I forgot to buy elastic bands for it. So *really* my $50 planner was “only” $30 (well not including my add-ons) which makes it much more reasonable!!
Ooooo I love planners and these Erin Condren planners look super adorable!! Definitely am gonna have to snag one for 2014. My friends and co-workers all make fun of me that I still use a planner when I could just use my iphone calendar as a planner. I don’t know why but that seems annoying for me, I just want to write my things down in pretty color pens and markers and be able to look at it at a glance. Thanks for the discount codes! I’ll definitely be using them 🙂
I love that Filofaxs and Planners are coming back in style. I had such a hard time trying to keep everything on my phone and computer. I have to many things to do and plan!
Me too. I can’t handle just planning on the computer!
I am dying for one! I had no idea you can customize the colors. Guess I know what to ask for for Christmas.
I didn’t realize it at first either! It took me a minute to get that is what the question was asking on the customize page!
Oh, I’m so glad you did a review of the planner! I am so excited to try one out! I LOVE planners, but usually buy a cheap one.. thanks!! 🙂 Yours is so cute.
You should treat yourself!! It’s not that bad with the coupons!
I used your link and I don’t see where I get the $10 off? Is it after I order?
I couldn’t figure that out either…I think the link is missing some numbers after Jennifer’s name. Maybe you wouldn’t mind emailing me the link? jlgansen (at) gmail (dot) com Thanks!
The code will come in your e-mail after you register with them.
Nevermind- I got it in an email….
I love the look of the EC planners … but like you mentioned, I’m one of those who won’t bite because of the price.
I hear you! I’m thinking about getting a stand for my planner this year to make SURE I know what’s going on!
I have a cookbook stand on my kitchen counter — it doesn’t ever hold cookbooks or recipes! Instead, it has my monthly menu plan, a bunch of lists that are on-going, etc … and right in front of it is my planner, open to the current date! Works great!
I love it!
Uh oh. Next paycheck already has a destination.
I’m going to “need” this. I’ll just blame it on my mommy brain as to why it is needed!
Ahhh, I can’t believe we ran into each other today!!!!!! Your son has amazing taste in coats! And the photographer and my mom made fun of me that I was recognized!
I recognized WB’s sweet little face and it clicked! I was like HEY!!!!! Haha! I was so excited! I felt like I saw a group of celebs!!
WB and my little Silas should shop together! Those coats are awesome! 🙂
We should meet up for Starbucks, Targeting and baby boy play dates!
And…I had 6 donuts.
So cool!!! We should Target and Starbucks it up!
And in your defense, those donuts were small. My 5 year old shoved one in his mouth in basically one bite.
I have an EC planner as well!! LOVE, LOVE, LOVE it!! I honestly would be so lost without it!!! When people tell me they can’t believe I spent $50 on a planner I tell them this…..if you only get the planner & nothing else it is about $4.50 per month for a 12 month planner! That’s not bad in my book if you use it as much as I do! Of course it is less if you get the 18 months even with the extra $5! But I can’t JUST get the planner so mine is more but oh well!! It is well worth the cost once per year!!!
It’s possible we are related because I like to think that way about bags. “If I use the bag everyday for a yeah it’s only $2/day and that’s like a Starbucks”?..
That is totally how I justified the expense when telling my husband what I was buying!!!
That is so funny! I always justify things in Starbucks lattes.
I LOVE my EC planner. I was just looking at mine today thinking I need to order my next one soon (which will be my 3rd!). I love everything about it. I have purchased calling cards from her too, which are awesome! Before I had my EC planner, I used a Franklin planner (probably because my mom bought it for me). I have convinced my mom to switch over to EC and I think this will be her third one as well. I enjoy picking out a new pattern every year. She is always coming up with new designs. I can’t wait to get the elastic band this year for mine.
I used to use a Franklin Planner as well! Years and years ago. Maybe that’s why I don’t think EC planners are super $$? I have been conditioned to expensive paper planners?
I love her stuff. I bought a really cool teacher lesson plan book and I felt so organized and all the teachers loved it because it was so cute.
I really like that weekly notepad / planner thing. That is super cool too.
I’ve been drooling over these for a while and had finally decided to buy one once I got paid this week. And then I saw your coupon code – SWEET! Great timing!!
That’s perfect! What style did you get?
I chose the “inspire” one with the Henry David Thoreau quote. I’m a sucker for motivational sappiness.
Good pick!
You totally convinced me to buy one! It was really hard to justify the price. I think my current planner is only $10, but it only have like 4 lines per day. I never use it though because when I do I feel like my planner isn’t even organized so why use it. Then I read about 15 reviews of the EC planner, and I decided I had to have it! With the coupon codes I got the planner and some pens for $45. That includes the shipping. So not as bad as I was initially thinking it would be. So thanks for the coupon codes!
So that’s like 15 lattes? Not too bad at all 😉
after reading your review I asked for one for my birthday!!! Ive tried to use apps on my phone but I feel like they just make me more unorganized. I think the EC Planner will be very useful
I feel the same way. It worked for some people, but I need to see it on paper!
I am SUPER excited to find your blog and the coupon for the EC planner to go with it!! I ordered one 2 years ago and loved it, but decided to go another route for last year. Boy do I regret that! I am super excited to get my new planner and will never stray away from EC again! It’s worth it!!
Yay! Which one are you ordering??
I got the same pattern as you, but I requested black background with white stripes and my name in hot pink 🙂
Can I use the welcome $10 coupon and the gift20 code in the same transaction? Thanks for your time.
Hi jenny! No. The GIFT20 is for returning customers. A lot of people use the $10 code to buy an e gift card for themselves and then use that and the gift20 code on the 2nd order. Hope this helps!
Hi!
I tried using the $10 discount by using the link and $10 never comes off the total. I signed up with a new account and signed up for the newsletter. How come the $10 is not applied to the total when I try to buy a life planner? What do I do to get the credit and have you get the credit as well? Thanks!
You should get an e-mail with a $10 coupon code in it when you sign up using a referral link (mine or anyone else’s). You have to apply that code at checkout. Did your e-mail come with a code? I would get a credit of $10 if you make a purchase using the referral link.
I tried to use the $10 code for the gift card and it wouldn’t work. Is that save20 still good? I was thinking of get accessories (stickers, bands, ruler) for 13.45 shipping with the $10 code. Then order the planner with the save20 for 38 with shipping. Saving $10 over all.
I think the code is (was?) “gift20”. Last I heard it expired on 12/31 but I have no way of testing it since I already used it ;(. Let me know if it works for yoou!
Yes! Your right, Thats what I ment! Haha thanx!!
Are you having a hard time finding/using pens that won’t bleed on the paper? I can’t seem to find pens that will work with my planner.
I bought the Erin Condren ones.
The code still works. I just used “GIFT20” to purchase a planner for 2014. I received a $20 discount on a $50 dollar planner. This is also my second year of using Erin Condren’s planner. I love this product!!!
Yay! It must have just been a glitch!
Thank you so much for the referal! I just designed a planner with a picture of my husband on the farm over looking a wagon full of grain. I am so excited I can hardly stand it! I may have to huge the Fed Ex driver when he gets here next week.
I hope it comes fast!
huge=hug
My fed ex driver is not huge. 😉
LOL. I knew what you meant!
I’ve tried to use the gift20 code and the website isn’t taking it. I emailed their customer service and they said it expired Dec. 31st:( He said subscribing to the newsletter would give updated promos but I haven’t gotten anything yet and I need to order asap. Does anyone know the January promo code? That $20 savings is just killing me to miss out on. lol
I don’t think they have had any new ones ;(. They do have those gift with purchases going on right now though that they didn’t have before ;(. If it makes you feel better, the GIFT20 was for your 2nd purchase. You can get $10 off your first purchase using a referral link.
I would LOVE LOVE LOVE one of these but I am in Canada and the minimum shipping cost is $39.98. Makes me sad but I just can’t justify paying that much for shipping a planner. 🙁
Just a thought, but you could order from tinyprints.com? They offer erin condren planners and have a 20% off code right now. Plus, it’s cheaper for canadian shipping!
http://www.tinyprints.com/shop/life+planners-erin+condren–erin-condren-day-planners-notebooks.htm
I just tried using your referral link and it didn’t work. Is it out of date? I’m worried now that I’m signed up and can’t get the $10 off? If you have it would you mind e-mailing it to me? I will contact them and see if they’ll give us both credit.
Thanks! Leah
It will e-mail you the code once you sign up on their site!
Just used your link and received $10 off!!! Thanks so much!!! Now for the wait!!!!
What cover did you get??
Favorite things!! There’s lots more that I’d like. But I think I’ll wait til the holidays for specials!!! 😉 I want an acrylic clipboard, LP notepad, and bands for the LP. 😉
I’m thinking I might order the planner as they look like quality products.