During that whole $109 notebook kerfuffle, a reader sent in a tip about a much more utilitarian and affordable notebook that everyone in my office has grown to love. The bright green government-issue bound-books are used frequently by the DoD and by troops all over the world. Interestingly enough, I actually spotted one in a real world application in the photo (below) of resting soldiers in Afghanistan.

The hardbound notebooks are perfect for different projects around the office, which is how we have been utilizing them. I bought a stack and have them on hand here for people to use. As far as notebooks go, these are a great daily driver. Plus, the fact that they are hardbound makes them easy to save and organize. More info below on the green government notebooks from ACL reader Aaron:

While not exactly vintage, they’re fantastic: 5.5″ x 8″ with a green cloth cover and 192 pages in a rule I’d like to deem “just right.” They’re usually government/military-only (I got my first as a gift while an intern at the Pentagon last fall; practically everyone in the building has one), but after scrounging the web for more, I came upon that site, which in my experience will ship the notebooks to non-government-employed persons such as myself. Each notebook is stamped on the bottom of front cover with the NSN (National Stock Number) 7530-00-222-3521 and the words “Federal Supply Service (GPO).”

And for $3.35 you can’t go wrong. Save that $105.65 to buy beer. Then get yourself drunk and complain on the internet about how other people spend their money.

Pick up your own Federal Supply Service notebooks individually or by the gross here (Editors note: updated link, with an updated price.)