Creatively Plan Your Life

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Reviewing Top 6 (Pre-made) Planners for 2022 in INDIA

I wanted to use a pre-made planner for 2022, but I also love bullet journaling. So, I am going to try to use a combination of both a planner and a bullet journal in 2022.

Here I am going through the features of the most popular planners which are available for 2022 to help me (and hopefully you) make a choice.

I will be going in the ascending order of prices and the features under consideration are -

Yearly and quarterly goals
Habit Tracker
Vision Board Page
At least 100 GSM paper (to ensure no ghosting)
Availability of Stickers
Cute designs (I don't want to get bored using my planner!!)

Supple Room

Supple Room 2022 Planner features + review

Cost - ₹600

Stickers - 3 Sticker Sheets

Pre made spreads - Monthly and weekly spreads, Monthly goals

Pre made Trackers - None

Pockets - Not mentioned (so we are assuming it is not available)

Freebies - 3 Sticker Sheets

Paper GSM - 100 GSM

Book Size - A5

Binding Type - Wiro (Spiral) Binding

Closure - No elastic closure

Tabs - No Monthly tabs

Design - B&W (so you can be creative and add whichever colour scheme you want.)

My observations -

One of the most inexpensive planners on my list, I love that Supple Room still managed to keep its planner at 100 GSM paper.
It is black and white, but I think with a bit of washi tape, brush pens or colouring implements, you can be creative and customise this planner as per your own style.
It is a bare minimum planner, and I feel it is excellent for anyone who is just starting out with planning (beginner friendly). In fact, I ordered this exact planner for my best friend, in the hope that she will also like planning just like me.

Doodle Happiness Premium

Doodle Happiness Premium 2022 Planner features + review

[Note - There is a similar option of this same planner, without the freebies, priced at ₹500, which is a great option for beginners]

Cost - ₹1000

Stickers - 4 Sticker Sheets

Pre made spreads - Monthly spreads, Yearly goals and past year review, Movies to watch, monthly highlights, Activity pages, Calligraphy page

Pre made Trackers - Workout tracker, 21-Day Anxiety challenge tracker

Pockets - Not available

Freebies - 4 Sticker Sheets

- Pocket planner

- Cute gift box

Paper GSM - 80 GSM

Book Size - B5

Binding Type - Wiro Binding

Closure - No elastic closure

Tabs - No Monthly tabs

Design - Cute and unique

My observations -

From a mindfulness and mental health perspective, this planner is amazing.
The way the spreads and trackers have been designed in the planner are very unique and very different from other planners. (They even have a calligraphy practice page!)
The paper is of 80 GSM, and is wiro bound, so there could be a paper quality issue.
There are no weekly spreads and habit trackers. Instead they have given many ruled pages to directly write in, which was a factor that put me off a little.
They also have tear away note cards with quotes, which I really liked.
I really like the fact that they have an option to buy the same planner, with the same activities pages at half its price, though the number of ruled pages is a little lesser.
I think it is a suitable planner for a person who wants to slow down a little and be more mindful in life.

Factor Notes

Factor Notes 2022 Planner features + review

Cost - ₹1000

Stickers - 280 Stickers (approx. 8-10 sticker sheets)

Pre made spreads - Monthly and Weekly spreads, Yearly and quarterly goals, Highlights of 2021, Vision Board, Activity pages

Pre made Trackers - Habit Tracker, Expense Tracker, Period tracker, Sleep tracker, Mood tracker, Meal Tracker

Pockets - Back pocket

Freebies - 280 Stickers

- Pocket notebook

- 3 Bookmarks

Paper GSM - Not mentioned (but the bullet journals of the same brand are of 100 GSM)

Paper Size - A5

Binding Type - Hard Bound

Closure - Has elastic closure

Tabs - No Monthly tabs

Design - Cute, yet elegant

My observations -

I love the blush pink cover (of course, there are various other options to chose from) of the planner. It gives it such an elegant look.
The cover being hard bound, gives a feeling that it will last more and not be as subject to wear and tear as wiro planners.
If you are a student and live with your parents, the monthly Expense Tracker and the Meal Planner might be unnecessary spreads, since you are not earning, nor responsible for food.
They meet all the features that are a must-have for me (assuming that the GSM is 100), and they do have a lot of trackers and spreads. With so many freebies and such an elegant hard bound cover (also an elastic closure), I think it is a good deal at ₹1000.

Simbaa Lifestyle by Mridul Sharma

Simbaa Lifestyle 2022 Planner features + review

Cost - ₹1000

Stickers - 6 Sticker sheets

Pre made spreads - Monthly and Weekly spreads, Yearly and quarterly goals, Not to-do list, Wish List, To-Buy List, Brain dump, Photo dump, Vision Board

Pre made Trackers - Habit Tracker, Expense Tracker, Wellness tracker, Period tracker

Pockets - Front and back

Freebies - 6 Sticker Sheets

- Pocket notebook

- 2 Post-Its

- 1 Bookmark

Paper GSM - 100 GSM

Paper Size - 24cm X 19cm

Binding Type - Wiro Binding

Closure - No elastic closure

Tabs - Has Monthly tabs

Design - Cute, yet neat

My observations -

I like that they have so many spreads and trackers, but I feel they could overwhelm a beginner. For me personally, I think it is perfect.
In the goals spread, they have given prompts, which I think will be very useful while setting and reviewing goals.
If you are a student, the monthly Expense Tracker might be an unnecessary spread, since you are not earning.
I also love that they have a monthly brain dump and also a photo dump, to stick pictures at the end of the year.
There is a picture for every month, which is made of 210 GSM card paper, and can be used as an artwork or as a card to someone.
They do meet all my must-have features (and have so much more to offer), and with the price and the freebies we are getting, I feel Simbaa Lifestyle Planner is very impressive.

[Edit - For some reason I'm unable to add a link to the product website. So, I've given the link below -

https://www.simbaalifestyle.com/product/2022-planner/ ]

Happy Wagon

Happy Wagon 2022 Planner Features + Review

Cost - ₹1000

Stickers - 3 sticker sheets

Pre made Spreads - Monthly and Weekly spreads, Yearly, quarterly and monthly goals, Vision Board

Pre made Trackers - Habit Tracker

Pockets - At the back only

Freebies - 3 Sticker Sheets (mentioned above)

- Reusable magnetic box (in which the planner comes)

Paper GSM - 120 GSM

Binding Type - Hard bound

Closure - No Elastic closure

Tabs - No Monthly tabs

Design - Pretty floral design

My observations -

This is one of the few planners that is hard bound. I have heard reviews that wiro bound planners fail to last through the year, so I feel Happy Wagon is a good option if you are worried about paper ripping.
Compared to the other planners in the market, I feel the freebies offered are a little lesser. But then again, the planner is hard bound and the paper is of 120 GSM, which makes up for it.
There are also fewer number of trackers in this planner, compared to the other options.
The weekly spread layout seems a bit off to me, because I feel the boxes for each day have been compressed too much and there is not enough space.
All my must have features are met, so again I'm impressed with this planner.

Alicia Souza

Alicia Souza 2022 Planner features + review

Cost - ₹2500

Stickers - Separate sticker book with 200+ stickers

Pre made spreads - Monthly and Weekly spreads, Yearly and quarterly goals

Pre made trackers - Meal tracker, Habit Tracker, Expense Tracker, Wellness tracker, Period tracker

Pockets - Front and back

Freebies - Sticker Book (mentioned above)

- Pocket planner (easier to carry, since the other one is bulky)

Paper GSM - 120 GSM

Paper Size - 23cm X 19cm

Binding Type - Wiro Binding

Closure - Elastic closure available

Tabs - Monthly tabs available

Design - Cute and quirky

My observations -

Most of my must have features are met.
There is no vision board or a monthly goals spread, but there are MANY notes pages, so we can create our own spread.
I love the sticker book that comes with this. They have extremely cute stickers.
There is a space to write a 'Letter to My Future Self' and I love that idea.
I feel certain spreads are unnecessary (for students like me) such as Meal Tracker (I live with my parents, and I am not responsible for the cooking) and Expense Tracker (I am not earning yet).
Also, the price is on the higher side definitely, which is the most deterring factor for me.

Conclusion

I feel I am going to zero in on the Simbaa Lifestyle planner, because it has so many trackers, many of which are unique. I feel the price is also reasonable, given the number of freebies we are getting, and the good paper quality.

I might also buy the Alicia Souza sticker book separately. I have been eyeing it for a long time now.

I hope this review was helpful for you in case you were confused about which planner to get for 2022. Keep creating! Keep planning! ❤

In this blog post, I thought I would answer all the FAQs I've seen on the internet with regard to the Paper 6 of CA Final (new course), which is an open book exam, conducted by ICAI.

What to carry for your CA Final Open Book exam

What should you carry for your open book elective paper to the exam hall?

1. Indexing Sheet

This is the main Sheet, which has links to all major topics covered in the syllabus with the corresponding page number. You should create this on your own, before the exam.

2. Suggested Answers of the 3 exams before the previous attempt

If your attempt is in December 2021, then carry the suggested answers of November 2020, November 2019 (since May 2020 exam was not conducted) and May 2019.

3. Mock Test Papers

Carry the MTPs of the current attempt as well as the last attempt (there is no point in simply carrying the MTPs; you should have gone through them as well, so that you know where a particular answer lies).

4. Case Study Digest

Ensure that the hard copy of the Case Study Digest you have is the latest version issued by ICAI, available on the BOS website.

5. Study Materials by ICAI

This is the most important part of the books you should carry with you. The study materials' pages are what should be linked to the Indexing sheet.

What are the elective subject options for CA final?

There are 6 subjects to choose from -

Risk Management
Financial Services and Capital Markets
International Taxation
Economic Laws
Global Financial Reporting Standards
Multidisciplinary Case Study

Which elective paper is scoring in CA final?

A popular opinion among CA students is that 'Paper 6A - Risk Management' is the most scoring among all the elective options.

The main reasons are that -

It is a problem solving (practical) number-based paper.
It is based on SFM, so if you have a strong base in this, it will be easy for you to score.
It has only 9 chapters.

The next most popular paper is 'Paper 6C - International Taxation', because -

It also has only 9 chapters
In Paper 7 - Direct Tax, 30 marks is allocated to International Taxation. Since a lot of portions overlap in these 2 subjects, students with a strong base in Direct Tax can opt for this.

Personally, I chose to go for 'Paper 6B - Financial Services and Capital Markets', because I find the topics interesting and I feel I perform better in theory papers than practical.

Can I change my elective paper in CA final?

Yes, even if you choose one subject while registering for the CA final course, you have the option to change the elective when you register for the CA final exam.

I hope all your queries regarding the elective paper in the CA final exams have been answered. All the best for your upcoming exams!

DISCLAIMER - This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we recommended! You can read my full disclosure here.

How to make DIY Vintage Paper at home

If you've seen my recent post on my Vintage themed bullet journal set up for this month, you would know that I used vintage themed stickers and stamps (which I got as a part of a huge haul - read that post here).

I also used vintage papers and vintage themed circle stickers in my vintage bujo set up which I made at home, so I thought I should share the process of how I made them.

How I made DIY vintage paper at home

Step 1 - Boil some water and add coffee powder

We need the coffee to be very strong. The stronger the coffee, more vintage-y the paper will look. I wanted only a minimal vintage look, so I didn't make my coffee very strong.

Step 2 - Pour the coffee into a rectangular vessel

We are doing this step so that it will be easier to dip the paper entirely into the coffee. This will also make the process faster.

You can alternatively also keep the coffee in a smaller vessel and use a sponge to dab the coffee over the whole paper.

Step 3 - Burn the edges of the paper

Light a candle and slowly start burning the edges of the papers to give it a more vintage look. Be very careful with this step and ensure you don't burn the whole paper.

Use a candle to burn the edges of the paper

Step 4 - Crush the papers and dip it in the coffee filled vessel

First, keep a plastic sheet ready so that you can immediately lay the wet paper onto it. Crush the papers by hand to give it a crumpled look.

Now, flatten out the paper and immerse it completely into the coffee vessel. I used both A4 sheets and some grid paper I had.

Use a plastic sheet to lay out the wet papers to dry

Alternatively, you can also place the flattened paper onto the plastic sheet and use a sponge to dab coffee all over the paper. This will definitely be a less messy step.

Sponge used to dab coffee

Step 5 - Leave to dry for a few hours

Just leave the papers to dry under a fan for a few hours (I left mine overnight) and you are good to go!

This is what the end result looks like!

DIY Vintage Paper - End Result

How I made DIY circle stickers

What you will need

An exacto knife, a cutting board and kraft paper or scrap paper in the colour you want. I took a bit of black scrap paper I had and a brown envelope, which had been discarded.

If you don't have either of these things, you can take some newspaper (it does give a vintage look), or if you want the specific colour, just colour in with a marker.

The process

I used a small bottle cap (as seen in the picture) as a stencil for the shape of the circle. I cut out the circles with my exacto knife and stuck it to my bujo with a glue stick.

DIY circle stickers

If you want to see how I used all these DIY vintage crafts, you can check out my vintage themed bullet journal set up or my Instagram page.

Let me know in the comments if you plan to make a vintage themed journal spread or any of the DIYs above.

Keep creating! Keep planning! ❤

DISCLAIMER - This post may contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we recommended! You can read my full disclosure here.

Affordable Journaling Supplies and Skin Care Haul

It was my birthday recently and I thought I would make a quick post on what all I received, in case you are looking to shop for yourself or your loved ones.

I am classifying my birthday gifts into 3 categories: Stationery, Stickers and skin care/ self care products.

Being a stationery lover, I couldn't help but feed my obsession and love for stationery. Also, I have started recognising the need to take care of my skin, so recently I've been into skin care and self care.

Reel of the haul

You can watch this mini video (which I made for my Instagram account) in which I've shown almost everything I got/ bought for my birthday. There are also some exclusive gifts I got, which I will show only the readers of my blog, so lucky you! 😀

Stationery

This category consists mainly of bullet journaling supplies and craft supplies.

Alphabet stamps

I feel alphabet stamps are a must have in any stationery buff's collection and I am very grateful that I finally own a set. They come in a wooden box and contain the letters in caps and small, numbers and some symbols.

Alphabet Stamps

Floral Stamp

I wanted this stamp to give a vintage vibe to my bullet journal. Also, since I always end up drawing floral doodles in my bujo, I thought I might as well buy a floral stamp. The stamp is from this really affordable shop called Journal Say.

Floral Stamp

Stamp pad (Camlin)

For both the stamping implements I bought, a stamp pad was an obvious necessity. I got only the colour black (since I wanted this for my Vintage themed Bujo spread and black is a very vintage-y colour).

You can also get the stamp pads in a variety of colours like this one.

Stamp Pad

Washi Tape Samples

I got these washi tape samples from a lovely Instagram shop called Washi Sabi (they also gave me a freebie sticker, as seen in picture).

Washi tape samples are basically washi tapes only, but they come in a smaller quantity (as per your preference) than an entire washi tape.

These are a very affordable option, if you don't want to spend money on the entire roll of washi tape, but you still want a few varieties.

Washi Tape Samples

Cutting Mat and Exacto Knife

I had been wanting this cutting mat and knife for a while now, because I wanted to start making stuff with air-hardening clay. The two came as a set and I thought was a very affordable option.

Cutting Mat and Exacto Knife

Stickers

This entire category is of course, for my bullet journaling needs, and are entirely from Journal Say.

Retro themed Sticker Flakes

Because I am a 90's kid, I thought of indulging in some nostalgia; hence, these retro themed stickers.

Retro themed sticker flakes

Coffee themed Sticker Flakes

I am definitely planning to make a coffee themed spread, so I thought I should pick these up for future use.

Coffee Themed Sticker Flakes

Kawaii Sticker Flakes

I wanted some cute stickers, because I feel my bullet journal is very serious somehow. I thought Kawaii stickers would be the perfect addition.

Kawaii Sticker Flakes

Purple Stickers

I have no particular reason for picking these up, except that they looked really cute!!

Purple Stickers

Circle stickers

Even though I want to use these in my bujo, I was inspired by many Pinterest pictures on wall décor. I want to use these to try it out for myself.

Circle Stickers

Sticker Books

I got some sticker books as well. They had really aesthetic pictures, which I thought would look bright and beautiful on my bullet journal, or my wall. (inspired by Pinterest, of course!)

Each sticker book comes with 60 pieces. I've tried to show below most of the stickers which came.

1. Yellow themed sticker book

Yellow themed sticker book

2. White themed sticker book

White Themed Sticker Book

3. Pink themed sticker book

Pink Themed Sticker Book

Skin Care/ Self Care

Eye mask

I needed this eye mask because I find it hard to sleep when the light is on and my sister (with whom I share the room) usually sleeps after me.

I've also discovered that it has a pouch at the back (seen in picture) wherein you can place a cooling gel pad. This is said to improve blood circulation around the eyes and relieve eye dryness and puffiness.

Eye Mask for sleeping

Furry slippers

These slippers are extremely soft and my feet are really comfortable in them. They are great to wear, especially in cold weather.

Furry Slippers

Skin care products from Nykaa

This was a gift from my cousin and I loved it. The set contained a moisturiser, a shower gel and a deodorant and were all in the fragrance 'French Lavender'. The packaging was really nice too.

Skin Care Products from Nykaa

That is all for the haul. I hope this has been helpful to you in case you were planning to buy something.

Let me know in the comments which your favourite item from this haul is!

Keep creating! Keep planning! ❤

Shop the products mentioned in the post -

Study Tips

DIY Crafts

Bujo & Planners

Supple Room

Doodle Happiness Premium

Factor Notes

Simbaa Lifestyle by Mridul Sharma

Happy Wagon

Alicia Souza

Conclusion

What should you carry for your open book elective paper to the exam hall?

1. Indexing Sheet

2. Suggested Answers of the 3 exams before the previous attempt

3. Mock Test Papers

4. Case Study Digest

5. Study Materials by ICAI

What are the elective subject options for CA final?

Which elective paper is scoring in CA final?

Can I change my elective paper in CA final?

How I made DIY vintage paper at home

Step 1 - Boil some water and add coffee powder

Step 2 - Pour the coffee into a rectangular vessel

Step 3 - Burn the edges of the paper

Step 4 - Crush the papers and dip it in the coffee filled vessel

Step 5 - Leave to dry for a few hours

How I made DIY circle stickers

What you will need

The process

Reel of the haul

Stationery

Alphabet stamps

Floral Stamp

Stamp pad (Camlin)

Washi Tape Samples

Cutting Mat and Exacto Knife

Stickers

Retro themed Sticker Flakes

Coffee themed Sticker Flakes

Kawaii Sticker Flakes

Kawaii Sticker Flakes

Purple Stickers

Circle stickers

Sticker Books

1. Yellow themed sticker book

2. White themed sticker book

3. Pink themed sticker book

Skin Care/ Self Care

Eye mask

Furry slippers

Skin care products from Nykaa

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