Not Your Typical Planner

I bought a new planner. I know. I might use it only until March. 

But this is different. This is the Belle de Jour (BDJ) planner. I have used coffee-branded planners for more than a decade now. I started with the good old Seattle’s Best (best deal ever, because it came with a beautiful mug, a pen, and a tote bag, great deal), followed by super-hyped Starbucks, then lately, Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf. 

My wild guess is that planner has become a good business because it has a semblance of having a direction in one’s life. One can be tagged as someone organized, put together, and financially stable (yes) for having these expensive planners. Of course the latter is not always true. Haha. 

But just like someone who has found a new love, this is different. And I think this claim is true. I heard of BDJ planner a decade ago, through a former colleague at work. She raved about this because it is woman-centric (with menstrual tracker) and it comes with a set of coupons from great brands, known and new ones alike. 

Nevertheless, what really sealed the deal is its price. I got it for only Php500, just a quarter of the amount of coffee-branded planners. It’s a great price for a planner so customized and heavy with coupons. Oh, and it comes with my very own BDJ card so it feels exclusive. 

Speaking of exclusive, Belle de Jour has Facebook pages, The Bella Tribe and BDJ Plan with Me. The members are pretty hardcore. They have a hundred-set colored pens. One actually bought an old school typewriter. 

I am never artsy but here is my attempt to be a little bit creative with my planner.

So go ahead, watch me mumble the words as I excitedly introduce my very first BDJ planner. Pardon my vlogger-wannabe voice.

Before posting this blog, I have started reading through the initial pages, and I was really surprised. It is so feminine and empowering. It makes me think inwards, like I want to set my priorities in life. I have always relied on destiny. So it excites and scares me at the same time to plan my life and to claim my future, one page at a time. 

So, let’s see next year. Oh God I hope to use it even after March.