A list of stoic journal prompts on personal finance

If you don't know what stoicism is, first read some basic introduction to this philosophy. If you know what it is, let's move forward.

The List

Before you get the questions, write down the core values/principles/virtues of your life. For example, my core values are independence, wisdom, temperance, and fulfilling my duties. There are four stoic virtues or core values (wisdom, courage, justice, temperance). You can choose out of the four stoic virtues or you can choose from anywhere else.

Writing down your core values will help you answer the questions better.

(A) Daily Reflection

• What financial matters within my control need attention tomorrow?
• What financial problems am I currently worrying about that are outside my control?
• What material possessions served me well today that I am taking for granted?
• What financial security do I currently enjoy that deserves appreciation?

(B) Weekly Reflection

• How have I grown in my relationship with money this week, even slightly?

• Which possessions do I currently own that are truly "preferred indifferents" (Preferred indifferents means things that are beneficial but not essential to our happiness)?

• Which purchases am I contemplating that would fall into "preferred indifferents"?

• Am I maintaining appropriate detachment from these items?

• What recent or planned purchases are motivated by impressing others rather than true utility or joy?

• How would I feel about these purchases if no one else knew about them?

• What recurring thoughts about my financial status compared to my peers create the most anxiety for me?

• Which spending category in my budget (clothing, housing, transportation, etc.) is most influenced by my concern about maintaining a certain image, and what small change could I make to prioritize my actual preferences instead?

Needs vs Wants

• What have I categorized as a "need" that is actually a "want"?
• How might simplifying my definition of needs create more freedom?
• Which specific advertisements, social media influences, or peer expectations have recently led me to categorize luxury items or conveniences as necessities in my budget?"

Virtue in Financial Life

1. Wisdom (Practical Knowledge)

   • What financial knowledge am I missing that would help me make better decisions?

2. Courage (Fortitude)

   • What difficult financial conversation or decision am I avoiding?
   • Where do I need the courage to go against conventional financial wisdom that doesn't serve me?
   • How can I build resilience for potential financial hardships?

3. Justice (Fairness)

   • Are my financial decisions harming or helping others?
   • How am I contributing to the common good through my economic choices?
   • Where might I be participating in financial systems that don't align with my values?

4. Temperance (Self-Control)

   • Where am I displaying impulsiveness in my financial life?
   • What boundaries would help me maintain moderation in spending?
   • How can I find contentment with what I already have?

© Monthly Philosophical Exercises

Voluntary Discomfort Practice

Design a specific financial discomfort exercise and journal through it

1. Planning Stage

   • What form of voluntary financial simplicity will I practice this month? (Examples: No-spend weekend, cooking only with pantry items for a week, temporarily reducing entertainment budget)
   • What specific virtue am I hoping to strengthen through this practice?
   • What resistance am I feeling toward this exercise, and what does that reveal?

2. During the Exercise

   • What emotions arise when I deny myself normal conveniences or pleasures?
   • What am I learning about my relationship with comfort and discomfort?
   • How is this practice affecting my appreciation for what I normally have?

3. After Completion

   • How has this exercise changed my perspective on what I "need"?
   • What surprising benefits or insights emerged from this practice?
   • How might I incorporate aspects of this experience into my regular financial life?

Negative Visualization

Practicing premeditation of adversity for financial resilience

1. Loss Contemplation

   • If I lost my job tomorrow, what specific steps would I take?
   • If my investments lost half their value, how would my life actually change?
   • If I needed to reduce my standard of living significantly, what would remain most important?

2. Adaptation Planning

   • What skills and resources beyond money could I rely on in financial hardship?
   • How have I successfully adapted to challenges in the past?
   • What unnecessary expenses would be easiest to eliminate first?

3. Philosophical Response

   • How would I maintain my character and virtues during financial difficulty?
   • What aspects of a good life would remain accessible even with fewer resources?
   • How might financial adversity create opportunities for growth or new directions?

View From Above

Gaining perspective on financial concerns through cosmic viewpoint

1. Temporal Perspective
   • How important will this financial concern seem one year from now? Five years? At the end of my life?
   • What financial worries from five years ago no longer matter to me, and what does that tell me?
   • How are my current financial priorities serving my life's ultimate purpose?

(D) Quarterly Review Practices

Financial Self-Knowledge Assessment

1. Progress Evaluation
   • How has my relationship with money evolved over the past three months?
   • Reviewing my last three months of expenses, which spending categories best reflect my core values?
   • Which expenditures created lasting well-being, and which provided only fleeting pleasure?
   • Which financial virtue (wisdom, courage, justice, temperance) needs most attention in the coming quarter?
   • What specific practices will help me develop in this area?

Implementation Tips

1. Consistency Building

   • Start with just 5 minutes daily for the first week
   • Focus on one specific prompt that resonates most
   • Create environmental triggers (morning coffee, before bed) to establish the habit

2. Honesty Practices

   • Write as if no one will ever read your entries
   • Challenge yourself to acknowledge uncomfortable financial truths
   • Practice self-compassion while maintaining rigorous self-examination

3. Action Integration

   • Conclude each journaling month with at least one specific, implementable action
   • Review previous action commitments regularly
   • Note patterns of insight that repeatedly emerge as areas for focus

What financial security do I possess in this present moment that I'm overlooking while worrying about the future? List three specific material needs that are fully met at this exact moment.

These were a bunch of journal questions/prompts that can help us understand our personal finances better. Although I have already segregated the questions into sections like daily, weekly, and monthly, you can segregate the questions in whatever way you want. You can edit questions or pick and delete questions from this list.

To conclude, personalize this list whatever way you want.