Saving money doesn’t mean everything will be cheap! So how do you know when to splurge? Especially if you’re a teacher looking for a good planner with accessories. This post details whether Erin Condren Planners for teachers are worth that splurge!
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Best Teacher Planners
Lesson planning is an inevitable part of teaching. So it’s no surprise that we are always on the hunt for the best teacher planner.
One Google or Amazon search yields hundreds of planner brands.
Yet, over and over, you’ll see Erin Condren Planners for Teachers coming to the top of the list as being one of the best teacher planners.
But is it really the best?
When you begin to compare the price of their planners + the stickers and accessories to other teacher planners, you can’t help but wonder if it’s worth the higher cost.
That’s what we’re diving into today my friend!
How Much Do Erin Condren Planners Cost?
Here’s a breakdown of the main costs you can expect with Erin Condren’s (EC’s) planners for teachers:
- Spiral Bound Teacher Planner with no customization= $55-$65
- Customized Teacher Planner= up to $78**
- Erin Condren Planner Stickers (with no planner)=up to $15.50**
- Teacher Planner + Stickers= $60-$80**
- Teacher Planner + Stickers + Other Accessories= up to $120**
- **varies depending on what you customize or purchase
These prices do not count taxes or shipping and handling.
Other brands offer teacher planners that range from $15–$25, which is a pretty chunky difference.
Let’s dig into the nitty-gritty details of Erin Condren planners to determine if this chunk is worth our hard-earned money.
A Detailed Erin Condren Teacher Planner Review
As you may know from my bio, I am a teacher and a single mom. I began my teaching career as a young widow. This makes me one busy gal!
I need a teacher planner with lots of different elements to keep me straight.
One major PRO of the Erin Condren Teacher Planner is that it has different sections that are extremely useful for efficient planning:
- Monthly Calendar Section
- Horizontal or Vertical Weekly Layout
- Content Area / Subject Breakdown
- Built-In Folder to Hold Papers
In addition to having several sections to write plans & details, these planners also have thick pages!
Why in the world does this even matter? Because no matter what pen you use, it won’t bleed through the pages!
This is a major benefit for all my Sharpie and Paper Mate Flair lovers out there. (Can I get an Amen!?)
The Downside of These Teacher Planners
In order to truly review whether this planner is the best one for teachers, we must look at everything–good and bad!
One flaw, in my opinion, is the weight and size of the coiled planner.
While the metal spiral ring and thicker pages make this a very sturdy binder, it also makes it bulkier.
This leads to the need for an extra teacher bag for it to fit in, since it can’t fit in most purses.
Some of my teacher friends who also have Erin Condren planners actually love the sturdy feature and claim that having a bigger planner makes it easier to spot if you have a messy desk.
By the way, if you have a messy desk–here are some goodies you need to check out:
- 35 Things to Throw Away From Your Classroom
- Guaranteed Tips for Teacher Hoarders
- 7 Simple Organization Tips for Teachers
What Size Are Erin Condren Planners for Teachers?
These teacher planners can weigh up to 3.5 lbs, which honestly isn’t too much to carry by itself.
But we ALL know that our planner isn’t the only thing we’re carrying in our teacher bags. When you add this to student papers to grade, any teacher edition curriculum books, a small binder with data tracking sheets, etc.–the weight can really scale up!
The size of the planner is obviously a personal preference, but for me, it’s a no-go.
Detailed Teacher Lesson Planner Video Review
Every year, I offer a detailed review on my YouTube channel for each new teacher lesson planner.
These reviews focus on all the specs, changes, and designs to see whether they truly are the best planners for teachers.
Here’s last year’s review:
When you subscribe to my channel, you get to see each new planner release with my honest critique on whether it’s worth the splurge.
Honestly, each year that I use these planners, I grow more impressed with the updates and ways that you can customize them.
So, I can definitely say that someone at the company is listening to teacher feedback and requests really well so far!
Erin Condren Stickers & Accessories
Of course, we can’t dig into details on Erin Condren planners for teachers without talking about their other goodies!
In my opinion, the abundant options of stickers and accessories are what make these planners irresistible.
Here’s what you can expect when you shop online for Erin Condren accessories:
- Tote Bags
- Rulers
- Meal Planning Inserts
- Over 1,000 different stickers
- Pens, Ribbons, Washi Tape, and Pouches to hold these smaller items
I consider this a bonus as a teacher because I like my planners to look cute! Who says functional can’t also be fun?
Plus, I feel more motivated to keep up with my planner when it’s attractive and fun. That’s just how I’m wired as a teacher.
However, there are other teachers who make good points on why these stickers may NOT be worth the splurge for them:
- An abundance of accessories doesn’t make your lesson planning time more efficient; instead it could actually be a distraction
- Too many stickers turn your teacher planner into a scrapbook
- You can get similar fun stickers and accessories for way less at places like the Target Dollar Spot, Dollar Tree, or Wal-Mart
Overall, it’s your personal needs and preferences that determine whether the stickers and accessories are worth the splurge.
But–I will admit–no matter what your preference is, Erin Condren’s accessories make excellent teacher gifts!
Do You Have to Get the Accessories with the Planner?
Of course, all the extra cost more. So, if you’re looking to save money, you can certainly go without.
In fact, Erin Condren offers a collection for teachers under their Focused design.
Even though I prefer all the colorful, bright frills with my planners, these Focused options look elegant and sophisticated.
My favorite thing about them is the vegan leather cover, which is smooth and soft to touch!
Using a more muted or neutral planner like this usually means you don’t want all the stickers and washi tape to go with it.
Which keeps you from splurging too much since these planners retail for $55 before taxes.
Do Erin Condren Planners Go On Sale?
Since cost is a big part of determining whether these teacher planners are worth the splurge, it helps to know when and how you could possibly save money while still getting a quality planner.
Erin Condren DOES offer sales on their items, but only during a handful of times throughout the year.
For items that teachers may want to purchase, you can expect to get discounts during:
- Back-to-School season
- Black Friday Deals
- End of the Year / New Year’s
In addition to these holiday sales, there are occasional site-wide flash sales at different times of the year. These sales usually list items up to 20% off.
If you are shopping any other time, you can get a discount through their FREE Rewards Program.
It doesn’t cost anything to join.
You accumulate points that can be used to redeem certain freebies and special coupons for future purchases.
If you play your cards right, you can sometimes stack the savings from their rewards program with seasonal sales to get even more discounts.
Here’s a special $10 Coupon for joining the program as a reader of this site.
What About Erin Condren Life Planners?
Not only have I used EC’s teacher planners before, but I have also used their Life Planners as well.
In fact, my 2019 planner was an EC Customized planner that helped me stay on track with blogging, running my Teachers Pay Teachers store, and all the to-do’s of Mom Life!
What are the pros and cons of having a separate planner for life outside the classroom:
PROS:
- It does help to have clear boundaries between teacher work and life tasks.
- Your planner doesn’t become too cluttered trying to fit everything for your entire life in one area.
- There are stickers and accessories that go well with the Life Planner that don’t work at all with the Teacher Planner.
CONS:
- An additional planner means an additional cost!
- You will need to keep up with more than one planner / system to stay organized.
So it is possible for you to have an Erin Condren Life Planner, but not an Erin Condren Teacher Planner or vice versa!
So…Are These Planners for Teachers Worth The Splurge?!
Don’t roll your eyes at me for this conclusion, but the answer to that question is: it depends!
YES is the answer if the pros that I listed above resonate with you.
Any item from Erin Condren is truly high quality and will last well beyond the year it’s intended to be used.
So if you don’t mind forking over a little extra for something that’s going to last and help you stay organized, then go for it!
NO is the answer if the pros mentioned don’t spark joy for you!
Just “Marie Kondo” your way to a different brand and you’ll be fine.
More Teacher Planner Options
Just in case you want to fully weigh all your options, I’ve included links to other teacher planners that you may like.
I’ve used these brands before and enjoy them.
- Happy Planner 12 Month Box Kit for Teachers
- Carson-Dellosa Aim High Teacher Planner Plan Book
(pictured below)
- Bloom Daily Planners for Teachers
- Deluxe Law of Attraction 12 Month Life Planner
- Happy Planner 12 Month Life Kit–Colorful Theme
Planning Tips for Teachers
No matter which planner you decide to purchase, just remember that the plan won’t work if you don’t work it!
Having a nice planner is only nice if you actually DO the things you plan to do.
Here are related resources to help you with your planning:
- 5 Easy Ways to Plan Your Entire School Year in Advance
- I’m a New 4th Grade Teacher: Now What?!
- Tame Your Inbox & Get Stuff Done!–Email Productivity Tips
- Simple Ways to Save Time Grading Student Work
Happy Planning!
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2 Responses
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