How to craft pocket notebooks for pennies

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E-ink tablets are much easier on the eyes and often even allow users to write on them using a stylus, but the bells and whistles frequently come with a steep price tag. Luddites on a budget still frequently opt instead for a classic pocket paper notebook,but even then, the portable thought journals frequently feel unnecessarily expensive. A pack of three miniature Moleskine journals currently costs $13, leaving many aspiring writers to jot down their ideas on scraps of paper and coffee shop receipts.

But just because fancy notebooks cost a lot of money doesn’t mean they’re inherently pricey to manufacture. There isn’t even a lot of technique required to craft your own backpocket diary. As YouTube creator Perry Daniels recently highlighted, some decent paper, scissors, twine, and a needle are all you need to make your own small notebook.

Stop Buying Field Notes.

The most basic versions literally cost a dollar or two to make, but you’re welcome to gussy them up with fancier cover card stock, rounded edges, and other little flourishes. Staples will work in a pinch to bind the spine, although Daniels recommends spending the extra time stitching the seam. This allows your notebook to crease closed more easily, and it also simply looks a lot more professional and intentional.

Anyone who carries a pocket notebook daily knows that they often aren’t long for this world. The casual wear-and-tear often reduces them to shreds faster than you can fill them, and every regular user has left at least one on a cafe table. So, the next time the inevitable happens, take a moment to consider assembling a cool replacement yourself before shelling out the cash.