I buy this monthly planner annually for my elderly mom that likes to write her appointments down rather than put them on a computer or phone.  The bungee cord has a good amount of tension that keeps the planner closed.  The boxes for each of the 30/31 days are approximately 2x2 inches - which is a nice size for writing while giving the user the whole month to view on a centerfold (two pages).  All in all, very pleased with this planner.