Sticker Happy! Are the Starbucks Philippines Weekly Planner & Travel Journal 2020 Worth the Hype?

First off, storytime! I remember getting my first Starbucks planner nearly a decade ago. Even though Starbucks has been here in the Philippines for the past 22 years, late 2010 was my first recollection of the hype surrounding the much-coveted planners. Research shows the first ones were introduced as early as 2003/2004!

Well, that fateful day of January 8, 2011 was when I finally completed my 18 stickers (thanks in part to my brother-in-law as we were both celebrating our birthdays then). I had just turned 24, was on my second office job, and honestly not really getting paid as high as I should have. So getting a roughly Php150 drink for 18 times in about three months’ time was not exactly the most responsible thing.

And what did I do with the planner? Almost nothing… that is, until I decided not to use it as originally intended. After all, that planner in particular was bulky and heavy (but in my opinion, had the best content and enough space for daily/weekly plans. Not using it asap was actually uncharacteristic of me, since I had been using planners and journals since the 90s (I was in grade school and had an early obsession with stationery thanks to my two sisters).

Eventually the 2011 Starbucks planner became one of my lyrics journals, and I made a promise with myself that I won’t collect any more stickers in the future since it was impractical financially and health-wise to do so. I’d convinced myself that people who collect stickers and don’t use the planners are just jumping on the bandwagon much like I did.

Fast forward to late 2016: I was going through a weird, somewhat rough dating patch and went to get coffee more often either by myself or with other people (friends, family, dates, whatever). Soon enough, I had enough stickers again to get the 2017 planner! And funny enough, I actually used it moderately for jotting down plans. It came in a pouch (which I still use to this day), some nice stickers, and a magnetized bookmark. Plus, there was also a kinda cool erasable pen which I never understood how to use.

But that was it, I again told myself I won’t do it the next year. And yet… by late 2017 I had just come back from a failed attempt at finding work abroad, but had landed a moderately-paying job working at night. Hence, my need for coffee was somewhat justified. I found myself able to collect 18 stickers with ease for the 2018 Starbucks planner, and It also came with a Starbucks card, which I convinced myself I needed (hello free birthday cake and collecting beverage stars!), and a nice protective (I’m hoping vegan) leather sleeve. Again, I was able to use it moderately for plans and flight details, as well as to remember birthdays.

Lather, rinse, repeat. Again, I tried telling myself I don’t need another planner. But it turns out, I do. I really do. Sometime in the middle of all of that, my father passed away, then I also went to see my long-distance boyfriend twice in two months’ time. Our family had to spend for my father’s funeral, as well for as commemorating his 40 days (it’s a thing in the Philippines). I really thought I wouldn’t be able to collect enough stickers again, but alas… I did. The 2019 Starbucks planner served me well, and I even used the monthly sections to reconnect with my love of zentangles/doodling. Plus, I gave the Starbucks card it came with to my mom; I felt she deserved one after everything.

With all those in mind…

Is the 2020 Starbucks planner or travel journal worth the fuss and hype?

From experience, my straight answer is that unless you really will use the Starbucks planner or travel journal, its coupons, and whatever else it comes with, any Starbucks planner isn’t really worth spending hundreds and thousands of pesos for. More often than not, these things only collect dust and serve no purpose other than bragging rights. Which kind of explains why some people end up selling their unused planners. And why some people collect stickers for the sole purpose of reselling planners at ridiculous prices. That’s supply and demand for you.

Now, with four options to choose from (Frost Gray and Berry Pink for the planner, and Coffee and Neo Mint for the travel organizer), there’s lots to unpack here. I have the Berry Pink and Neo Mint variants:

Planner

• made in Valencia, Spain in a Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) facility using FSC-certified paper
• comes with a matching smooth, suede pouch
• cover is made from eco-friendly leather, the siren design is embossed, and it has a strap
• comes with a set of glossy stickers
• comes with a cardboard bookmark printed in China
• each spread is a weekly calendar (left half) and a notes page (right half)
• leftover pages are dot paper for extra notes or whatever
• comes with 7 coupons that can be used as scheduled from January to September 2020

Travel Organizer

• made in Valencia, Spain in an FSC facility using FSC-certified paper
• comes with an embossed matching eco-friendly leather cover with a strap and provisions for up to 4 cards, a pen, and a cellphone
• cover is cardboard, smooth, and the siren design is printed
• comes with a set of matte stickers
• comes with a cardboard bookmark printed in China
• half the notebook is plain paper, the other half is dot paper (perfect for bullet journal enthusiasts)
• comes with 7 coupons that can be used as scheduled from January to September 2020

Sooo, again with the question… Is it worth the fuss and hype? If you can afford it and you actually plan on using it, go ahead! I’m a big fan of treating yourself. Some (including myself) actually enlist the help of friends/family who don’t collect stickers. After all, you can use up to two sticker booklets for a total of 18 stickers overall. If you’re lucky, complete strangers will also donate their sticker/s to you (as I have experienced over the years, and have done for others as well).

However, if you’re on a very tight budget, it’s probably best not to overspend around Php2,000 (give or take) on 18 usually high-calorie drinks. Plus, this year’s planners do NOT come with a free Starbucks card, so it’s already quite a turnoff for some.

Fair warning, if you’re gonna use the Starbucks app to collect digital stickers (as I did last year), you can only use and collect them that way – which means no help from others. It’s far more difficult to collect this way, but it’s more eco-friendly since you’re not using paper or the plastic stickers to gain a planner/organizer.