diff --git a/jrnl/Journal.py b/jrnl/Journal.py
index 33e6840c..a5bc63b3 100644
--- a/jrnl/Journal.py
+++ b/jrnl/Journal.py
@@ -153,11 +153,12 @@ class Journal:
         return "\n".join([str(e) for e in self.entries])
 
     def _load(self, filename):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+        with open(filename, "rb") as f:
+            return f.read()
 
-    @classmethod
-    def _store(filename, text):
-        raise NotImplementedError
+    def _store(self, filename, text):
+        with open(filename, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
+            f.write(text)
 
     def _parse(self, journal_txt):
         """Parses a journal that's stored in a string and returns a list of entries"""
@@ -379,13 +380,7 @@ class Journal:
 
 
 class PlainJournal(Journal):
-    def _load(self, filename):
-        with open(filename, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
-            return f.read()
-
-    def _store(self, filename, text):
-        with open(filename, "w", encoding="utf-8") as f:
-            f.write(text)
+    pass
 
 
 class LegacyJournal(Journal):
@@ -393,10 +388,6 @@ class LegacyJournal(Journal):
     standard. Main difference here is that in 1.x, timestamps were not cuddled
     by square brackets. You'll not be able to save these journals anymore."""
 
-    def _load(self, filename):
-        with open(filename, "rb") as f:
-            return f.read()
-
     def _parse(self, journal_txt):
         """Parses a journal that's stored in a string and returns a list of entries"""
         # Entries start with a line that looks like 'date title' - let's figure out how
diff --git a/jrnl/encryption/BaseEncryption.py b/jrnl/encryption/BaseEncryption.py
index e4480bfa..db2fb4a6 100644
--- a/jrnl/encryption/BaseEncryption.py
+++ b/jrnl/encryption/BaseEncryption.py
@@ -21,7 +21,7 @@ class BaseEncryption(ABC):
     def encrypt(self, text: str) -> str:
         return self._encrypt(text)
 
-    def decrypt(self, text: str) -> str:
+    def decrypt(self, text: bytes) -> str:
         if (result := self._decrypt(text)) is None:
             raise JrnlException(
                 Message(MsgText.DecryptionFailedGeneric, MsgStyle.ERROR)
@@ -39,7 +39,7 @@ class BaseEncryption(ABC):
         pass
 
     @abstractmethod
-    def _decrypt(self, text: bytes | str) -> str | None:
+    def _decrypt(self, text: bytes) -> str | None:
         """
         This is needed because self.decrypt might need
         to perform actions (e.g. prompt for password)
diff --git a/jrnl/encryption/BasePasswordEncryption.py b/jrnl/encryption/BasePasswordEncryption.py
index 7d5927b3..163b6cf0 100644
--- a/jrnl/encryption/BasePasswordEncryption.py
+++ b/jrnl/encryption/BasePasswordEncryption.py
@@ -30,12 +30,12 @@ class BasePasswordEncryption(BaseEncryption):
     def password(self, value):
         self._password = value
 
-    def encrypt(self, text):
+    def encrypt(self, text: str) -> str:
         if not self.password:
             self.password = create_password(self._journal_name)
         return self._encrypt(text)
 
-    def decrypt(self, text: str) -> str:
+    def decrypt(self, text: bytes) -> str:
         if not self.password:
             self._prompt_password()
         while (result := self._decrypt(text)) is None:
diff --git a/jrnl/encryption/Jrnlv2Encryption.py b/jrnl/encryption/Jrnlv2Encryption.py
index 07e195bb..8baffda5 100644
--- a/jrnl/encryption/Jrnlv2Encryption.py
+++ b/jrnl/encryption/Jrnlv2Encryption.py
@@ -47,12 +47,8 @@ class Jrnlv2Encryption(BasePasswordEncryption):
             .decode(self._encoding)
         )
 
-    def _decrypt(self, text: str) -> str | None:
+    def _decrypt(self, text: bytes) -> str | None:
         try:
-            return (
-                Fernet(self._key)
-                .decrypt(text.encode(self._encoding))
-                .decode(self._encoding)
-            )
+            return Fernet(self._key).decrypt(text).decode(self._encoding)
         except (InvalidToken, IndexError):
             return None
diff --git a/jrnl/encryption/NoEncryption.py b/jrnl/encryption/NoEncryption.py
index 1c7d2c5d..f8e0dd3d 100644
--- a/jrnl/encryption/NoEncryption.py
+++ b/jrnl/encryption/NoEncryption.py
@@ -10,8 +10,5 @@ class NoEncryption(BaseEncryption):
     def _encrypt(self, text: str) -> str:
         return text
 
-    def _decrypt(self, text: bytes | str) -> str:
-        result = text
-        if isinstance(result, bytes):
-            result = result.decode(self._encoding)
-        return result
+    def _decrypt(self, text: bytes) -> str:
+        return text.decode(self._encoding)