>>2405503This held me back from journalling for a while. Or at least, it was partially this. I didn't want to do it "wrong." I only started actually getting into journalling last year, and I found watching videos from older men, and older women with smaller accounts was better for me. They had "messier" journals, made their own pocket journals, had no haul videos. They were simple and to the point, which was more my style. I still watch some more "aesthetic" ones, Megan Rhiannon is someone I like to watch, I love her bog autism, but in general I stay away from those types of videos. I also make my own layouts. I like the hobonichi weeks, so every week I turn my plain journal into a sortof Weeks set up. I currently use a journal I got as a gift, but I'm really enjoying it so I'll probably get another from the same company (Chronicle Books), and they're only 15-20 dollars. Also I find thrifting for things is a good option. I've seen moleskine journals at thrift stores before, never tried them but I've seen them talked about a lot. Ultimately I'm not really a part of any communities, so I don't care about the hottest new thing, and my journalling is still very minimal so I don't put a lot of time into caring too much about pens. I have a stock of stickers though, so at the end of every week I add a couple if there's space. Honestly, I do prefer the look of just the ink and paper, but stickers are fun to use kek. I have told myself though, that when it's a really good formed habit, I might buy something more expensive. I don't know that it'd be a journal though, maybe a leather ring binder, a cover, a pencil case. Something that's reuseable like that.
I guess it just comes down to personal tastes though, since I'm not really interested in my journals being too aesthetic. Definitely keep your eye out at thrift stores though, most aren't going to be familiar with random office supply prices so you'll probably land good deals.