Disclaimer: This post contains Amazon Affiliate Links.This means that I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you) if you subscribe or purchase something through the links provided. Hello teacher friends! I'm so excited you're joining me today for this post! I'm excited to show you all how easy and cost effective it is to make your own teacher planner or binder at home!! You don't have to print anything at a specialty print shop (unless of course you want to!) and you don't need expensive equipment! Today I will show you 3 OPTIONS for putting together your planner and lay out the costs as well as the pros and cons! I will also link to my home printer, basic laminator, and my fave budget friendly ink delivery!! **Pictured below: my kitchen island, which makes for a great spot to assemble! Wine optional ;) Option 1 - Teacher BinderThe cheapest and easiest option is the good ol' 3 ring TEACHER BINDER! I've used it for years. It's easy to assemble and you don't really need anything except paper and a printer. Just pick and print your pages, then organize as needed. Pros:
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Option 2: ProClick Binding MachineI've blogged about my ProClick Binding system before (you can read about it here). I love it! I wouldn't advise purchasing it unless you have other projects you want to use it for. If you make a teacher planner, grade book, personal planner, specialty planners, etc. then over time it's def worth the purchase!) Pros:
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Amazon Links: ProClick Binding System ProClick Spines (these range in size depending on how thick you want your planner, the picture above is 1/2 in spines) Option 3: The Happy PlannerI received a ton of questions on this when I posted my Teacher Planner on Instagram! To make a Happy Planner this size you'll need a hole punch for 11 holes and the large discs. Pros:
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Amazon Links: Happy Planner Big Paper Punch (11 hole) Medium Discs Large Discs (these are the ones I used so I would have room to expand) Gold Foil Dividers Side by Side of the Happy Planner Discs (left) and ProClick (right)1/2 in ProClick Spines/ 1 in 3-ring-binder/ Large Happy Planner DiscsPrinter and Budget Friendly InkI love my HP Deskjet All-In-One Wireless Printer. Ballpark ($50-90) depending on when you buy it! Also because of Covid, the increase on demand is high! This printer isn't fancy, just a simple home printer. I purchased it on Amazon Prime Day in 2017 and it has held up wonderfully!! As it states in the title, it's wireless (love that) and it also allows me to print directly from my phone (love that too!). Amazon Links: HP Deskjet -> PRINTER Cardstock for front/back cover (if you are not using a 3 ring binder) Copy Paper for individual pages 24 or 28lb paper for double-sided pages Best of all, it's compatible with HP Instant Ink (my favorite, budget friendly ink delivery service). What exactly is HP Instant Ink?The best way to sum it up -> I NEVER RUN OUT OF INK and I no longer purchase ink cartridges from the store (HALLELUJAH). I have saved a ton of money by using this service. I receive the ink cartridges in the mail long before I ever run out! And I'm on a monthly plan based on the number of pages I print. There is no better deal out there that I have found! If you already own an HP Printer, you can check HP online to see if it's compatible. HP Instant Ink Plan OptionsYou can change your plan whenever you want. So if it's Back to School Season and your printing more pages, up your plan. Or if you are on a higher plan and you're not using it much, go to a lower printing plan. Everything is tracked for you. Your printer signals when to mail ink out to you. I have LOVED using this service and I have never run out of ink once! Try a month of HP Instant Ink for FREE! |