Inexpensive - Nay, Cheap - Journals At Walmart

[Moshe ben David]

I was on this forum last night. Someone made mention of some journals for $3.99 at WalMart, made in China. Overall design something like a Moleskine: hard cover, elastic to keep them closed, placemarker ribbon. Whoever posted indicated they found the products to be fountain pen friendly.

 

I went over to my local WalMart today and did find these in two sizes:

 

• approx 3 3/8" x 5 3/8" 192 lined pages
• approx 5" x 8 1/8" 240 lined pages

They each come in three cover colors: black, a sort of lime green, and a sort of pink/red (give me a break -- I am a bit color blind!). The paper is white, claimed to be acid free, with lines printed using soy based inks. I picked up a black and a lime green in each size. Just couldn't handle the other color.

 

There are no back pockets unlike better known journals. The front page on each is partially glued to the cover which makes that page a bit awkward. But the price is right!

 

I've tested using four of my inked pens:

 

• Pilot VP F nib with Pilot blue-black
• Pilot VP F nib with Sheaffer Skrip red
• Pelikan M200 M nib with Waterman Serenity Blue
• Lamy 2000 with Diamine Syrah

I saw little if any feathering. A bit of bleed through with the Sheaffer Skrip Red, but for what I use these for not anything I care about. Sorry folks -- no camera so no pics.

 

I really wish I could remember which thread I saw this in. I just did a search but can't find it. But I think for the price, especially for the pocket size journals, this is pretty good. Really surprised that both sizes are the same price. I'll probably make a return trip just to see if they restock the shelves -- I got the last ones in these colors in these sizes.

 

So to whomever discovered this and posted about it: many thanks!

[knarflj]

I missed the original, so thank you for spreading the word!

[bogiesan]

There is a regional chain of clearance stores called Tuesday Morning. They often have remarkable bargains on molie clone notebooks; $1.00 to $2.50. They never have the same products again.

[Moshe ben David]

I found the earlier thread. Under General Pen Topics, there is a forum for Paper and Pen Paraphenalia. It was posted there rather than on this forum. Sorry for any confusion; but I guess between the two threads we've now covered both forums on this!

[Moshe ben David]

There is a regional chain of clearance stores called Tuesday Morning. They often have remarkable bargains on molie clone notebooks; $1.00 to $2.50. They never have the same products again.

 

I've heard of them -- we have some here in Northern Virginia. I'll check 'em out. Thanks

[estie1948]

I missed the original, so thank you for spreading the word!

Same here. I missed out completely. I will have to check this big of a bargain out even if it means going into the dreaded crowds in the dreaded Wall-Mart.

 

There is a regional chain of clearance stores called Tuesday Morning. They often have remarkable bargains on molie clone notebooks; $1.00 to $2.50. They never have the same products again.

There is a Tuesday Morning store near here. A few years ago, I found seven leather bound notebooks 15 by 21 centimeters (5 by 7 inches) with 250 lined pages and stamped with "Made in Italy". They were regularly $35, but Tuesday Morning had them for $14. They are extremely fountain pen friendly. For the last two years, I make a visit to the store every few months in hopes of finding more such notebooks, but without any luck. The store's assistant manager told me that they never know what is coming and that not all stores receive the same stock. Maybe one where you are will have some of these notebooks. Even so, I doubt that they will be in the price range of those found at Wal-Mart. Guess I can quit my checking at Tuesday Morning.

 

-David.

[max dog]

It's a Markings journal. In Canada they sell them at Target and Walmart at half the price of a Moleskine. It has the same dimensions, 240 pages, cream colored paper, pocket in the back, elastic etc as the Moleskine. It comes in a variety of colors including a nicer leather type black or brown version. I find the Markings paper peforms slightly better than the Moleskine for resistance to feathering and bleed through.