diff --git a/components/daily-quiz/daily-quiz-form.tsx b/components/daily-quiz/daily-quiz-form.tsx
index b90cdd6..eedb2b2 100644
--- a/components/daily-quiz/daily-quiz-form.tsx
+++ b/components/daily-quiz/daily-quiz-form.tsx
@@ -25,29 +25,45 @@ import {
   getTodayDateKey,
   saveDailyQuizSubmission,
 } from "@/lib/daily-quiz-storage";
+import {
+  getJournalEntryForToday,
+  saveJournalEntry,
+} from "@/lib/journal-storage";
 
 export function DailyQuizForm() {
   const [answers, setAnswers] = useState<DailyQuizAnswers>(
     defaultDailyQuizAnswers,
   );
+  const [journal, setJournal] = useState("");
   const [submission, setSubmission] = useState<DailyQuizSubmission | null>(
     null,
   );
+  const [isSubmitting, setIsSubmitting] = useState(false);
+  const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
   const [isReady, setIsReady] = useState(false);
 
   useEffect(() => {
-    const existingSubmission = getDailyQuizSubmission();
+    async function loadDailyCheckIn() {
+      const existingSubmission = getDailyQuizSubmission();
+      const existingJournal = await getJournalEntryForToday();
 
-    if (existingSubmission?.date === getTodayDateKey()) {
-      setSubmission(existingSubmission);
-      setAnswers(existingSubmission.answers);
+      if (existingSubmission?.date === getTodayDateKey()) {
+        setSubmission(existingSubmission);
+        setAnswers(existingSubmission.answers);
+      }
+
+      if (existingJournal) {
+        setJournal(existingJournal.content);
+      }
+
+      setIsReady(true);
     }
 
-    setIsReady(true);
+    void loadDailyCheckIn();
   }, []);
 
   const isCompleted = submission !== null;
-  const canSubmit = !isCompleted;
+  const canSubmit = !isCompleted && !isSubmitting;
 
   const updateAnswer = <K extends keyof DailyQuizAnswers>(
     key: K,
@@ -59,13 +75,27 @@ export function DailyQuizForm() {
     }));
   };
 
-  const handleSubmit = () => {
+  const handleSubmit = async () => {
     if (!canSubmit) {
       return;
     }
 
-    const savedSubmission = saveDailyQuizSubmission(answers);
-    setSubmission(savedSubmission);
+    setIsSubmitting(true);
+    setError(null);
+
+    try {
+      const savedSubmission = saveDailyQuizSubmission(answers);
+      await saveJournalEntry(journal);
+      setSubmission(savedSubmission);
+    } catch (submitError) {
+      setError(
+        submitError instanceof Error
+          ? submitError.message
+          : "Could not save your daily check-in.",
+      );
+    } finally {
+      setIsSubmitting(false);
+    }
   };
 
   if (!isReady) {
@@ -132,7 +162,9 @@ export function DailyQuizForm() {
       <Card>
         <CardHeader>
           <CardTitle className="text-base">Daily journal</CardTitle>
-          <CardDescription>Write about your day.</CardDescription>
+          <CardDescription>
+            Write about your day. Saved separately from your quiz answers.
+          </CardDescription>
         </CardHeader>
         <CardContent className="space-y-3">
           <Label htmlFor="journal" className="sr-only">
@@ -140,15 +172,17 @@ export function DailyQuizForm() {
           </Label>
           <textarea
             id="journal"
-            value={answers.journal}
+            value={journal}
             disabled={isCompleted}
-            onChange={(event) => updateAnswer("journal", event.target.value)}
+            onChange={(event) => setJournal(event.target.value)}
             className="min-h-32 w-full rounded-md border border-input bg-background px-3 py-2 text-sm ring-offset-background placeholder:text-muted-foreground focus-visible:outline-none focus-visible:ring-2 focus-visible:ring-ring disabled:opacity-60"
             placeholder="Write about your day."
           />
         </CardContent>
       </Card>
 
+      {error ? <p className="text-sm text-red-500">{error}</p> : null}
+
       {isCompleted && submission ? (
         <Card>
           <CardContent className="flex flex-col items-center gap-4 pt-6">
@@ -177,7 +211,7 @@ export function DailyQuizForm() {
         </Card>
       ) : (
         <Button className="w-full" disabled={!canSubmit} onClick={handleSubmit}>
-          Complete daily quiz
+          {isSubmitting ? "Saving..." : "Complete daily quiz"}
         </Button>
       )}
     </div>
diff --git a/lib/avatar-state.ts b/lib/avatar-state.ts
index 232b401..46f617f 100644
--- a/lib/avatar-state.ts
+++ b/lib/avatar-state.ts
@@ -6,7 +6,6 @@ export type DailyQuizAnswers = {
   energy: number;
   sleepLength: number;
   sleepQuality: number;
-  journal: string;
 };
 
 export type AvatarCondition = {
@@ -29,7 +28,6 @@ export const defaultDailyQuizAnswers: DailyQuizAnswers = {
   energy: 3,
   sleepLength: 3,
   sleepQuality: 3,
-  journal: "",
 };
 
 export function computeAvatarCondition(
@@ -71,6 +69,7 @@ export const defaultAvatarCondition: AvatarCondition = {
 export function normalizeDailyQuizAnswers(
   answers: Partial<DailyQuizAnswers> & {
     mood?: number;
+    journal?: string;
   },
 ): DailyQuizAnswers {
   const scaleValue = (value: number | undefined, fallback: number) => {
@@ -92,6 +91,5 @@ export function normalizeDailyQuizAnswers(
       answers.sleepQuality,
       defaultDailyQuizAnswers.sleepQuality,
     ),
-    journal: answers.journal ?? "",
   };
 }
diff --git a/lib/journal-storage.ts b/lib/journal-storage.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..2e1f757
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/journal-storage.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,110 @@
+import { createClient } from "@/lib/supabase/client";
+
+export type JournalEntry = {
+  entryDate: string;
+  content: string;
+};
+
+const LOCAL_STORAGE_KEY = "habit-pet-journal";
+
+export function getTodayDateKey(date = new Date()) {
+  return date.toISOString().slice(0, 10);
+}
+
+function getLocalJournalEntry(entryDate = getTodayDateKey()): JournalEntry | null {
+  if (typeof window === "undefined") {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  const raw = window.localStorage.getItem(LOCAL_STORAGE_KEY);
+
+  if (!raw) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  try {
+    const entry = JSON.parse(raw) as JournalEntry;
+    return entry.entryDate === entryDate ? entry : null;
+  } catch {
+    return null;
+  }
+}
+
+function saveLocalJournalEntry(content: string, entryDate = getTodayDateKey()) {
+  const entry: JournalEntry = { entryDate, content };
+  window.localStorage.setItem(LOCAL_STORAGE_KEY, JSON.stringify(entry));
+  return entry;
+}
+
+export async function getJournalEntryForToday(): Promise<JournalEntry | null> {
+  const entryDate = getTodayDateKey();
+  const supabase = createClient();
+  const {
+    data: { user },
+  } = await supabase.auth.getUser();
+
+  if (!user) {
+    return getLocalJournalEntry(entryDate);
+  }
+
+  const { data, error } = await supabase
+    .from("journal_entries")
+    .select("entry_date, content")
+    .eq("user_id", user.id)
+    .eq("entry_date", entryDate)
+    .maybeSingle();
+
+  if (error) {
+    console.error("Failed to load journal entry:", error.message);
+    return getLocalJournalEntry(entryDate);
+  }
+
+  if (!data) {
+    return null;
+  }
+
+  return {
+    entryDate: data.entry_date,
+    content: data.content,
+  };
+}
+
+export async function saveJournalEntry(content: string): Promise<JournalEntry> {
+  const entryDate = getTodayDateKey();
+  const supabase = createClient();
+  const {
+    data: { user },
+  } = await supabase.auth.getUser();
+
+  if (!user) {
+    return saveLocalJournalEntry(content, entryDate);
+  }
+
+  const { data, error } = await supabase
+    .from("journal_entries")
+    .upsert(
+      {
+        user_id: user.id,
+        entry_date: entryDate,
+        content,
+        updated_at: new Date().toISOString(),
+      },
+      { onConflict: "user_id,entry_date" },
+    )
+    .select("entry_date, content")
+    .single();
+
+  if (error) {
+    console.error("Failed to save journal entry:", error.message);
+    return saveLocalJournalEntry(content, entryDate);
+  }
+
+  return {
+    entryDate: data.entry_date,
+    content: data.content,
+  };
+}
+
+export function hasJournalEntryToday(entry: JournalEntry | null) {
+  return entry?.entryDate === getTodayDateKey() && entry.content.trim().length > 0;
+}
diff --git a/supabase/migrations/20260523120000_journal_entries.sql b/supabase/migrations/20260523120000_journal_entries.sql
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..fbf645a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/supabase/migrations/20260523120000_journal_entries.sql
@@ -0,0 +1,35 @@
+create table if not exists public.journal_entries (
+  id uuid primary key default gen_random_uuid(),
+  user_id uuid not null references auth.users (id) on delete cascade,
+  entry_date date not null,
+  content text not null default '',
+  created_at timestamptz not null default now(),
+  updated_at timestamptz not null default now(),
+  unique (user_id, entry_date)
+);
+
+create index if not exists journal_entries_user_id_entry_date_idx
+  on public.journal_entries (user_id, entry_date desc);
+
+alter table public.journal_entries enable row level security;
+
+create policy "Users can read own journal entries"
+  on public.journal_entries
+  for select
+  using (auth.uid() = user_id);
+
+create policy "Users can insert own journal entries"
+  on public.journal_entries
+  for insert
+  with check (auth.uid() = user_id);
+
+create policy "Users can update own journal entries"
+  on public.journal_entries
+  for update
+  using (auth.uid() = user_id)
+  with check (auth.uid() = user_id);
+
+create policy "Users can delete own journal entries"
+  on public.journal_entries
+  for delete
+  using (auth.uid() = user_id);