✨ Bullet Journal for Cheap
The Original Bullet Journal
A few years ago, I found out that it was not necessarily common knowledge that bullet journaling was not making your own planner in a notebook with lots of art supplies but rather a simple system designed by Ryder Carroll - a designer who grew the system over decades to assist him with his ADHD. All it requires is a notebook + pen. That's it.
[ Bullet Journal - How to Bullet Journal ]
Here's a quick 5 minute guide to the absolute basics which can be done in any kind of notebook with just a pen. This is the starting point. It's worth noting he's since updated the key some - use whichever version works for you.
[ Bullet Journal - Bullet Journal in 5 Minutes a Day (for busy people) ]
Here's what a day in the life of using a bullet journal looks like. Basically, it's helpful to check in with your bujo in the morning and evening but you don't necessarily have to thanks to how flexible the system is.
[ Bullet Journal - How I Run My Entire Life (using any notebook) ]
Here's a slightly broader view of the system and how to make sure it's serving you in particular. It's focuses on the weekly rhythms of the systems to show how reflecting can help you notice patterns and make helpful changes as you go.
[ Bullet Journal - Journaling this way increases my mental clarity ]
This video focuses on the monthly ritual. I often turn it on and follow along at the end of a month as I'm setting up my next one.
In general, if you're ever stuck with bullet journaling, I really recommend checking out what Ryder Carroll has put out first. He's very focused on keeping things simple and his channel is a decade plus gold mine of little ways to use the system to it's fullest - with nothing more than your notebook + a pen.
Collections and Threading
Dot grid notebooks are great but if they're too expensive or not available it's totally possible to use a lined notebook. Here are some examples.
[ JashiiCorrin - Can you bullet journal in a lined notebook? ]
There's so many good tips for journaling in lined notebooks with cheaper paper. It's less minimalistic so don't feel like you have to include everything she does but it is proof that you have options if your tastes lean more artsy.
[ Claudia Spaurel - Simple and Minimalist Bullet Journal Set Up ]
Great example of what bullet journaling in a lined notebook looks like -especially with minimal supplies.
I'd personally recommend putting the monthly log on two pages when there's not enough lines for all days. It's intended as a memory keeping/jogging device so its important to have room to write in important events after the fact as well.
[ lootengstudio - bullet journal on a budget + on a lined notebook ]
Another lovely example of what you can do with minimal supplies. I think the demonstration of faux-caligraphy with a gel pen and some of the design elements she adds could be useful for people who like a little more artistic flair in their set ups.
I would caution folks the setting up lots of trackers is how people get burnt out on bullet journaling and there are simpler ways to track most things shown on the monthly log. See Ryder Carroll's habit tracker.
Easy Extras for Bullet Journals
Just because you're using a lined notebook doesn't mean you don't want it to look nice. Here are some strategies you can use with minimal supplies to decorate a given page.
[ JashiiCorrin - BULLET JOURNAL HEADERS ]
Lots of ideas of headers and fonts to use for your different spreads. Instead of fineliners and Tombows, I'd recommend a good gel pen and Crayola Super tips (I reach for these more often than my Tombows). Just make sure the gel pen goes on last where ever possible.
[ AmandaRachLee - 50 Bullet Journal Doodle Ideas! ]
A plethora of cute doodle ideas for any pages you might want to decorate. Her other videos, while not true to the bullet journal system, have lots of lovely ideas for themes and easy drawings to do.
[ life with hope - everything I collected for my junk journal this week ✨ 24 ideas of things you can include!! ]
This video has some great ideas of the types of things you can collect for junk/ephemera journaling. Love the fruit/veggie sticker page. All you need is some glue, glue tape, or tape to get started. You can collect things for free and paste them into your dailies or fill pages starting in the back for some added memory keeping.
[ Created and Made Studio - Stretch Your Supplies with this Amazing Play-Doh Stamping Technique! ]
Play-doh stamps are so versatile. You don't need a bunch of colors of ink, really just one will do. It's great for backgrounds on a title page or a background for pasting in ephemera. Good for memory keeping too. You can sometimes find ink pads in dollar stores.
I started with a gel pen and a cheap graph paper notebook I got on sale at an office supply store 12 years ago (~$8). Use what you can find and afford to start, stretch it as far as you can and have fun doing it. Focus on the system.
I personally favor memo/A6 notebooks because I'm more likely to take them with me and have them on me when I need them. The more you use it, the more you'll get out of it.
I've gotten a lot out of printing off printables for ring planners and pasting them in when I need something I don't feel like setting it up (a proper calendar for instance). Check out Peanuts Planner Co to start.
Don't be precious with it. Perfectionism isn't a virtue, but courage is. Also it's literally just paper. Turn the page if you don't like something you made. That's life.
Remember the whole point of the bullet journal is that it's flexible. You don't have to use it every day. You can't fail at it - even if you drop off for a month or more. Sometimes it's what you need and sometimes it's not, use it as it serves you.
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