Every year, as part of its Christmas Traditions, coffee giant Starbucks launches a new set of highly anticipated limited edition planners. Obtainable only by completing a collection of 18 stickers given upon purchase of handcrafted beverages, it has become a must-have for many, coffee fans or not.
This year, Starbucks did a few things differently with its planner promo:
- When you’ve completed your stickers, you can choose to redeem either a Starbucks Planner or a Starbucks Travel Organizer. This new variant is probably because travel ranks high in the bucket list of many coffee aficionados. In fact, I prefer it myself as I think it will be more flexible to use.
- Your planner or travel organizer comes with a Christmas Traditions Starbucks card. Activating this card with at least Php500 and registering it to a new or existing Starbucks Rewards account will entitle you to join a raffle that could win you free Starbucks beverages for a year.
- No more prescribed number of Christmas Blend drinks. You get stickers for every purchase of tall, grande or venti handcrafted beverage. This includes any brewed, espresso, Frapuccino or Teavana drinks purchased during the promo period.
- You can collect virtual stickers using the Starbucks mobile app. No need to scour through your wallets looking for the card that houses the planner stickers. When you purchase your Starbucks drinks using the mobile app, e-stickers are automatically credited to your Starbucks account. (The downside of this is that you can no longer accept stickers from other Starbucks diners who are not collecting, unless they course the payment for their drinks through the app on your phone.)
More details on the promo can be found here.
With these changes to its mechanics and planner offer (and being an avid Starbucks fan myself), I decided to try to get a planner by going to different Starbucks outlets and trying out different drinks. I will pay for the drinks using the Starbucks mobile app on my phone so I can earn the required e-stickers for the planner.
Plus, I’ll also document the journey on my Instagram page, using the hashtag #JourneyToStarbucks2019Planner.
And now, allow me to share my Journey to the Starbucks 2019 Planner with you.
e-Stickers #1 and #2: Signature Hot Choco at Starbucks, Pearl Plaza
My absolute fave among Starbucks drinks has always been the Signature Hot Choco. I find it rich, chocolatey and quite comforting especially when I’m dealing with work or blogging tasks.
Oh, and since I registered and used the mobile app to earn planner e-stickers on the first day of the promo, I get an extra e-sticker.
e-Stickers #3 and #4: Peppermint Mocha and Snowy Cranberry White Mocha at Starbucks, Arcovia City
Among Starbucks’ Christmas Blends, I always go for the Peppermint Mocha. The taste of rich chocolate and the cool and fresh feel of perppermint just evokes the holiday mood for me.
My daughter, on the other hand, opted to try the new Christmas Blend Snowy White Cranberry Mocha.
e-Sticker #5: Caffe Americano at Starbucks, ABS-CBN
Since it was a back-to-work Monday and I badly needed a pick-me-up, I opted for a Caffe Americano. It’s basically espresso in hot water, which got me missing my usual 3-in-1 coffees so I added some cream and brown sugar.
e-Sticker #6: Cold Foam Iced Espresso at Starbucks, Sunnymede IT Center
I headed to a relatively nearby Starbucks outlet which I have never ventured to and got myself Cold Foam Iced Espresso. Ice-cold espresso is poured into my Starbucks tumbler through creamy cold foam made from blended non-fat milk.
e-Sticker #7: Iced Shaken Black Tea with Ruby Grapefruit and Honey, at Starbucks, Eugenio Lopez Drive
Apparently, I’ve had too much caffeine. (The things I go through for a Starbucks planner, hehehe!) After a bout of headaches the previous night, I decided to dial down on the caffeine and went for an Iced Shaken Black Tea with Ruby Grapefruit and Honey. This drink is light, fruity and and refreshing, a good thirst-quencher.
e-Sticker #8: Iced Shaken Hibiscus Tea at Starbucks, ABS-CBN
As I was still on hiatus from too much caffeine, I continued my affair with tea by getting myself an Ice Shaken Hibiscus Tea to go with my packed lunch. This pretty fuchsia-colored drink is a great chaser for my burger baon.
e-Stickers #9, #10 and #11: Green Tea Cream, Dark Mocha Frappuccino and Iced Matcha Espresso Fusion at Starbucks, SM East Ortigas
I made a last-minute errand to the mall the excuse to treat my mom and my daughter #ExhibitA to post-dinner drinks. My mom got herself and Green Tea Cream, while my daughter went for a Dark Mocha Frappuccino. I, on the other hand, got an Iced Matcha Espresso Fusion which combines coffee, tea and skimmed milk in one pretty and earthy beverage. We basically were three generations of women bonding over coffee.
e-Sticker #12: Iced Shaken Hibiscus Tea with Pomegranate Pearls at Starbucks, Timog
On my way to work, I dropped by the Starbucks outlet at the Imperial Palace Suites and got myself an Iced Shaken Hibiscus Tea with Pomegranate Pearls to go. I drank this exotic concoction to revitalize myself while catching up on emails.
e-Sticker #13: Cold Foam Iced Espresso at Starbucks, Eugenio Lopez Drive
At this sprawling Starbucks store, I had a Cold Foam Iced Espresso together with a Chicken Salad Croissant for lunch. Being used to sweets, I had to add two packets of brown sugar to the mixture. Fortunately, I brought my Starbucks tumbler. I just did a little shake-shake-shake to adequately mix the drink and sugar.
e-Sticker #14: Snowy Cranberry White Mocha at Starbucks, ABS-CBN
I went for a well-deserved coffee break in between meetings at the office. I opted for a hot version of the Snowy Cranberry White Mocha, one of the Christmas Blends. The toasty taste of the mocha with a creamy feel and a shot of alertness-boosting espresso gave me some much needed mojo to carry myself through the rest of day.
e-Sticker #15: Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew at Starbucks, UP Town Center
On my way to a foodie meetup, I whiled away the time at this Starbucks branch in UP Town Center.
I got myself another cold brew drink I’ve been wanting to try: the Vanilla Sweet Cream Cold Brew. Starbucks’ signature cold brew (coarsely ground beans steeped in room temperature or cold water for 14 hours) is topped with a house-made vanilla sweet cream float that slowly cascades down the cup, tempering the coffee with the smooth vanilla flavored cream.
e-Sticker #16: Iced Shaken Green Tea at Starbucks, Ayala Fairview Terraces
On my way to a foodie meetup at this mall which is so far from my usual haunts, I got myself an Iced Shaken Green Tea at its Starbucks outlet to tide me over and quench my thirst. What a relief it was to sip on something cold and light after braving the Commonwealth traffic!
e-Stickers #17 and #18: Dark Mocha Frappuccino and Vanilla Cream Frappucino at Starbucks, SM East Ortigas
My reward for myself and for #ExhibitA after accomplishing our weekend errands is treating ourselves to a slice of richly decadent Blueberry Cheesecake at Starbucks.
My daughter opted for her favorite Dark Mocha Frap but, in keeping with my resolution at the start of this journey to try out new drinks at every opportunity, I went for the Vanilla Cream Frappuccino. It’s an all-white concoction made from vanilla bean, milk and ice topped with whipped cream. Plus, it’s thankfully free of caffeine
so I can look forward to a good night’s rest in preparation for another busy work week.
And so… ten days after I started collecting e-stickers, here’s the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow!
Presented with the choice between a Starbucks Planner or a Travel Organizer, I opted for the latter as I think it’s more handy and suits my journaling and note-taking style better. And veering away from my usual preference for neutral colors, I chose the teal-colored option.
From this journey, I guess you can say I’m a Starbucks fan. What I like about this experience is that it encouraged me to explore more of Starbucks’ beverage offerings other than my usual orders (inspired decision to do away with the required number of Christmas blends stickers, Starbucks!). I discovered some new drinks that appealed to me like the iced shaken teas, cold foam and cold brew beverages.
As my way of thanking you for reading through this journey, here are some of the intel I gathered from being such a Starbucks coffee addict that you may find useful:
- Did you know you can save some cash when you bring your own mug or tumbler to Starbucks to hold your drink orders? The baristas will slash off Php5 off your drink bill.
- Better yet, join the Starbucks Rewards Program. You get a free grande-sized drink of your choice (with a complimentary add-on) after purchasing 12 drinks. You also get a free drink or a free dessert on your birthday.
- Did you know that you can request the baristas to give you spent coffee grounds which you can use to fertilize your garden? These are best for plants that grow well in acidic soil.
- It’s not on the menu but most hot drinks have a short size which will normally cost Php5 less than the tall-sized version of the drink. Short drinks are not eligible to get planner stickers, however.
- If you’re concerned about the amount of calories in your drink, you can either order teas or get your espresso or frappe beverages with soy milk or non-fat milk minus the whipped cream.
See you on my next foodie adventure!
Check out my other recent post about Starbucks: Tea 101 at Starbucks, SM East Ortigas
Jellybeans in the City 
I want to get the travel organizer!
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Ang bilis! Iyong sa daughter ko 5 pa lang. 2x pa lang kasi kami nag Starbucks since it started, usually during weekends
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Starbucks planner is one of the most aesthetic organizers there is and I love the brand more than anything else. It’s brand serving people with the best coffee and friendship experience!
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Thanks Cor! Please indicate your IG handle for easier identification.
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Collecting stickers for the planner is also a yearly habit for me! My bf loves americano and drinks that thrice a day so I finished one card in 4 days last year and roughly collected eight planners haha. This year, I’m glad that they released a planner and organizer ♥
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Wow! I’m planning to get 2 more.
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grabe sa bilis mag complete ng stickers! I really like their travel journal but kinda hesitant to collect stickers hahaha
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Hahaha! You have naman two months pa to collect e.
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Wow. So fast!!! To be honest, I also want to have a Starbucks planner but I know it will be expensive for me as I’m not a frequent visitor of it. I hope someone will give me this planner as a gift this Christmas. May I know what’s inside the planner? ☺️
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Hi Karla! I got the travel organizer. It has some pages grid-lined while some are mostly plain with some unobtrusive design. This is best if – like me – you don’t want to conform to the prescribed design of the regular planner. It also has space to hold credit/business cards, a pen, earphones and your passport.
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It’s great Starbucks have become more flexible with the planners. Not limiting the stickers to certain drinks and giving an option to have a travel organized instead of a planner is a great idea. 🙂 My friends always connect the planner and I go along to add another sticker haha.
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That’s being a good friend. I wouldn’t have completed mine so fast if I didn’t have people to help me by adding another sticker.
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This is the season that my colleagues rush to get my stickers because they know I dont need them hahaha. I am glad that i helped them reach their Starbucks planner goals.
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That’s so generous of you. 🙂
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Wow, ambilis! I never get to complete my stickers even though I’m such a starbucks fan, myself. I’m pretty lucky someone always gives me an SB planner by the beginning of the year. For the past 3 years, all my SB planners had been free.
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Wow! I wish someone will give me a free planner, hahaha!
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Congratulations on your new Starbucks Planner! I’m not fond of drinking coffee but I love visiting coffee shops. Whenever my friends invite me for a coffee, I go with them and giveaway my sticker. Haha! I’m that friend. LOL.
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I wish I have more friends like you who would give me their stickers, hahaha!
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Wow! I always wanted to have a Starbucks planner but I wasn’t able to get one because I’m not sure if I can splurge so much on a coffee huhu But I love their designs this year! So seek
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This planner will serve as my guide on 2019, hope you and Starbucks can help me reach my goals. @jogpen
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Thanks for joining! Good luck!
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Hi! I don’t collect stickers as I find it too impractical and too hyped-up. I’d rather spend it for giving presents with my loved ones and helping my family. However, joining this giveaway would spare me from spending unneccessarily. I think I deserve this planner because it will be useful for my blogging events, planning for my finances, jotting important notes, doodling appointments which will make me a more efficient person in my career and passion in blogging this 2019. I can plan ahead and maximize my resources to the fullest of my potentials and capacity. Hope to win, pls pls! 🙂
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Thanks for joining. Please don’t forget to indicate your IG handle for easier identification.
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Ig: danicairelle 🙂
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I want to have more travel in the coming 2019.
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Thanks for joining. Be sure to indicate your IG handle for easier identification, ok? Good luck!
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Joining your IG giveaway 🙏😌 Love the read! Very generous po tlaga kayo. I could not afford Starbucks kasi mas priority namin ngayong mag asawa ung mga needs ng mga bata but I definitely would love to have a planner to help me keep sane for next year. There’s this much need to plan scheduling para naman mas easy ang galawan ko as a mom. Hehe. Sana maswertehan ko.
Joined as @rebecahmaebelle
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Good luck! Thanks for joining!
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pwede ba na gusto ko lang talaga? lol. @james_benguet
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Pwede naman. Hahaha!
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dito palaaa! ok. imma say this again- me so selfish that me just want said planner ALL T O MYSELF 😹 (cross fingers to win, lolz).
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Good luck, Bunny!
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I am so into planners and notebooks! I think I got it from my mom, she collects planner and really writes her diary daily!!!!
My niece naman loves writing too and has kept a lot of notebooks like me.
Kahit ibang tatak masaya ako! How much more if Starbucks planner pa!!! 😍😍😍😍😍
@unshakablefoodie
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Thanks for joining Salie! Good luck!
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OMG! All your freebies are soooo sosyal, as always! Haha
I wanna win this planner because I’m feeling that we’ll all gonna be busy next year, and to keep us up-to-date with our schedule, this Starbucks Planner surely will surely help us in organizing our schedule in style! I’ve always love the Starbucks Planner because it’s sleek and there’s freebies inside it, too! Us, busy momma, will definitely need one.
– anjcolumna
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Hahaha! I have this quirk wherein when I start collecting stickers, I have to finish the entire card. That’s how I ended up with three Starbucks planners this year. 🙂
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Ig @sweetsaturdays.ph
I need the planner because I have to start organizing my life for 2019.
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Good luck Marionnie!
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I badly need this as a Pediatrician & super hands on zombie momma. mom’s on dialysis MWF too so my schedule is really out of whack. thank you for this!
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Thanks for joining! Please indicate your IG handle for easy identification.
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Never had one kasi hindi ako masyado nag SB but hopefully I could win para naman maexperience ko magkaron ng SB planner😊😊😊
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Thanks for joining. Please indicate your IG handle for easier identification.
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I need this SB planner so I won’t forget important occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries of friends, family and relatives, and won’t forget other activities too. It would be my reminder and diary at the same time
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Thanks for joining! Good luck!
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I deserve to win your giveaway Starbucks planner because I followed the rules 😁 lol. Honestly, I am an artsy person and loves to write and scribbles anything (yeah). Also, I want my 2019 to be organizer together with a planner and I think that Starbucks planner really suits me hehe I hope you choose me and Thank you 😍
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@meriamcustodio_
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The Starbucks Planner 2019 is a must for me because I’m planning my wedding while doing other stuff like blogging, writing, and selling. I need a planner to organize my life aspects and I know the Starbucks Planner 2019 will help in doing that. But mostly, I really need a planner to plan my wedding.
IG Handle: @hainrihi
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I love diaries and journals ever since I was a kid and now that I’m already working, planner naman ang kinahihiligan ko. The 2014 one is my first and last Starbucks planner. Collecting 18 stickers for a planner is sadly and honestly not practical for my pocket kaya di ko na inulit. If chosen for this giveaway, I’ll be super, super grateful. Magagamit ko talaga siya in its full extent, lalo pa’t I’m currently a freelancer and I work at home with no fixed sched. Mas ma-organize ko ang oras ko and mas magiging visible siya sa ‘kin.
IG: @page1_chapter1
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I was gifted Starbucks planners for 2017 and 2018 by my friend but for this year, he cut down on his caffeine na so no planner for me. 😦 Having this planner with me always made me feel in control of things in my life in a nifty and beautiful ‘notepad’ hehe.
Enjoyed reading your thorough journey to the Starbucks planner! Thank you!
IG handle: @orrangelily
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Thanks for joining and reading the post. Good luck!
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@annefraser My new year is not complete without a Starbucks planner. I use it to track down my expenses, school activities of my sons and my social gatherings. The freebies are bonus!
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I’m @annefraser on Instagram. My New Year wouldn’t be complete without a Starbucks planner no matter how many times I try, it is only once I got one by myself to complete their booklet because of the double sticker promo. Still waiting for the promo if they will ever have it this year or January. Joining your give-away will spare me the expense though. Thank you very much in advance!
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Joining your planner giveaway. I’ve almost always collected stickers for the planner since they came out with it. This year I wasn’t able to since I’ve been limiting my coffee and sugar intake. I was able to religiously complete my bullet journal/starbucks planner updates for 2018 and I’d like to continue that in 2019. Happy Holidays!
IG: jenniesales
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This 2018, My SB Planner was used for my calligraphy and memory keeping. I gladly indulged and enjoyed doing this activity in the planner. Wishing the pages of the planner to never end but it did. Here I am craving for the 2019 SB Planner to continue this journey. An added bonus that it has a grid for the weekly planning. I would definitely love to win this for 2019
IG: @diannekatepelon
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Having a Starbucks Planner is a must for me because ever since I retired almost 10 years ago, the Starbucks Planner is what reminds me of my “working girls” days. Writing on it everyday keeps me up on my feet – like they say there’s a whole new adventure after retirement, now my planner has a different content, more exciting !
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Thanks for joining! Don’t forget to indicate your Instagram username for easy identification. 🙂
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I want to be on track this 2019! Writing is more effective with me, so I want the starbucks planner to help me plan my day. – loraine07
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To be honest, I’m joining this giveaway because I know that someone I love needs this. I’ve seen him stressed out in his works whenever things were not organized. Like, everything is not on the right place so he’s not functioning properly and forget what he’s about to do because lots of tasks are on his way. With this planner, I’m sure it would help him more than anything. (@itsjaninabr
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Owning this planner from Starbucks has been on my wishlist for a long time.. I was glad it has finally opened here at SM lucena but then I could not really afford to collect all the stickers because really its quite pricey for a stay at home like me, so far I’ve only collected 4 stickers.. 😂. I JUST REALLY need this planner for daily activities, and financial planning too. I’m trying my luck here. Hoping I’m the lucky mom.
Ig: @lhaidava
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#GiveawayPH #beingjellybeans
Actually, SB Planner is a must have for me because I will give it to someone who really loves the aesthetics of Starbucks planner as it is but never had one. The minimalistic vibe yet all the designs are at place and are enough to make it a great planner, plus it has a good space to write on.
This planner actually reminds me of him, who is a future architect 2 years from now. He is simple yet he got everything you will ask for (plus there are bonus coupons 🥰). He loves to plan and to design, if I win, I’ll give it to him as it will be his first planner to put our future plans together. Personally, I don’t need this planner, I already have someone who will remind me how beautiful life is, and now, it’s payback time! This will really make him happy, @beingjellybeans ! He deserved this gift as he is the most unselfish and most appreciative person I’ve met.
Peace & Love,
@cheriseandfall
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Thanks for joining and good luck!
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When I was still single, I used to collect Starbucks planner every December. It started year 2007-2012, but when I’ve got married and became a dad, there are lots of financial priorities to address and one of my way to make both ends meet is to cut-off my Starbucks coffee intake and that means since 2013 I only bought an ordinary planner. There was a year that my friend gave me his SB planner and I was happy then.
This year, I am really longing and want to have a Starbucks planner because I love to plan, I love to write down my to do’s and see them getting accomplished, and of course – mark birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions for me and my family.
Having a planner is one way for me to be on top of everything, and given it is Starbucks – it gave me class and sense of art because I love all the Starbucks planner’s design and it gives me excitement every year because it has different style and sophistication every year!
Cheers and all goods!
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When I was still single, I used to collect Starbucks planner every December. It started year 2007-2012, but when I’ve got married and became a dad, there are lots of financial priorities to address and one of my way to make both ends meet is to cut-off my Starbucks coffee intake and that means since 2013 I only bought an ordinary planner. There was a year that my friend gave me his SB planner and I was happy then.
This year, I am really longing and want to have a Starbucks planner because I love to plan, I love to write down my to do’s and see them getting accomplished, and of course – mark birthdays, anniversaries, and special occasions for me and my family.
Having a planner is one way for me to be on top of everything, and given it is Starbucks – it gave me class and sense of art because I love all the Starbucks planner’s design and it gives me excitement every year because it has different style and sophistication every year!
Cheers and all goods!
IG: @abmontierro
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I am really yearning to have my 2019 Starbucks planner because having one keeps me on top of my day to day tasks. I also love the perks and freebies these planners is giving away plus its intricate designs and creative minds in coming up with this one is really genius.
Planner is my buddy for me to never fail to PLAN and have it done!
Happy New Year to all!
IG: @rcmontierro
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I wasn’t able to get stickers as ya’ll can do thou i so much love coffee kasi di naman ako madalas mag SB but im so familiar with their planner, sobrang ganda 😦 i know it would be a big help for me to remember errthing and to have plans haha I will do anything to have this planner 😦 i know it is worth fighting for haha.
Ig: _clairepadilla ❤
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