Understanding the dynamic processes of personality and affect requires repeated assessments. The experience sampling method (ESM; repeated measures across a short period of time) is typically held as the gold standard for such data collection. However, ESM studies are costly, time-intensive, and more likely than survey research to face attrition. Alternatively, the day reconstruction method (DRM; asking participants to detail the events of a previous day) is proposed to provide the same degree of data richness while circumventing the need for repeated measurements. To determine if the methods are indeed providing similar information, the present study of 385 undergraduate students conducted a direct comparison. Reported affect in the two measures was highly correlated (*r*s = .76 - .89), and there was high overall agreement in reported situations (*M* = 91%). These findings indicate high similarity between ESM and DRM and support the use of DRM in collecting cross-situation data.