My Well Planned Day Goes Digital! (Giveaway)

Several years ago, I co-created another well-known planner in the homeschool marketplace – a .pdf format planner that could be used entirely online, or printed out and bound to create your own personalized planner.  Because of my connection to that particular planner, I resisted the urge to check out the other planners that were out there (even though I’m a known planner/planning junkie!)  This year, though, I decided it was high time to make some changes in my life – and the lives of my children – when it comes to our homeschool planning. 

Despite my creation of said-planner, I have always created personal planning forms for my kids.  I like things to be exactly the way I want them – I know that might sound picky, but it’s just the way I roll.  This year, though, with Gracie entering the 8th grade, I really felt that it would be beneficial for her to take a more active role in her school planning.  So, I went in search of a printed planner that might work for her. 

What I ended up with was the Student Planner from The Well Planned Day.  I posted about my early experience with that planner over at Homeschool Mosaics several weeks ago.  Quite honestly, we have had a busy summer and really haven’t gotten much further into our school year – but we have used the planner to schedule in all of her music lessons and various field trips.  And, I’m continuing to really like the format for her. 

A few weeks ago, I was offered the opportunity to test (and give away!) the brand new DIGITAL VERSION of The Well Planned Day.  I wasn’t 100% sure that I really “needed” the extra planning software, but I was curious to see what all it had to offer.  And I thought it might be a good way for me to oversee ALL that is going on in our homeschool – Ian’s first grade work, our busy family schedule, etc. 

While I must admit that, with our crazy-busy summer, I haven’t had a lot of time to really dig into this software, there are definitely a few things that I’ve observed about it that I really like:

• It is fully customizable (if you click on this link you can see all the color options that are available – and, while this might seem trivial, I love things to be pretty and “me” so this is a great addition!)
• You can create separate records for individual students.  Within those accounts, you can have various file folders for different things – projects, field trips, extracurricular activities, etc.
• I’ve talked about our homeschool portfolios in the past.  While I love creating them as keepsakes for my kids, they do take up space and space is always limited.  This year, we decided to go paperless with our portfolios.  With this software, you can keep record of your children throughout their school years (in other words, this software will last you through your homeschool career – not just for one year, like a paper/print planner). 
• It’s more than just for school.  This planner gives you the option of tracking your budget, keeping your family calendar, creating chore charts, making your menu, and much more!  I love that it’s so versatile.
• And, did I mention that it’s pretty?  Yep, I think I did.

Now, all that being said, this is just a planner software – it’s not your brain.  Therefore, there is a learning curve involved.  I still haven’t figured out all the features.  (But, then again, I really haven’t had the time.)  I look forward to investigating it further over the weeks to come. 

So, what do you think?  Have you looked into this program at all for your homeschool?  Are you maybe sitting on the fence, not quite sure if you’re ready to invest the $65 to try it out?  If so, then I think you’ll be pleased with this ---
Just for reading this post on Heidi’s Head, you are entitled to purchase My Well Planned Day Software for $15 off!  Just enter this code at checkout: 05wpdblog12 (the code is case sensitive, contains no spaces, and expires on October 1, 2012).

I also have ONE COPY of the software to give away to one of my readers.  If you would like to win, simply follow the Rafflecopter instructions in the widget below.  (Please note that due to international sweepstakes laws, this giveaway is for US entries only.) 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

NOTE: This giveaway is not connected to any social media site. I received a free access code for the software, in the hopes that I would try it out in my home and share my thoughts on it.  I only ever share things that I feel will be beneficial to my readers.  This giveaway is sponsored by Home Educating Family.