diff --git a/Makefile b/Makefile
index 4dcf08b..5c0471b 100644
--- a/Makefile
+++ b/Makefile
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ CXXFLAGS := -g -Wall -pedantic
 OBJFLAGS := $(CXXFLAGS) -c
 LDFLAGS := -lreadline
 
+PREFIX ?= /usr/local
+
 BIN_PATH := bin
 SRC_PATH := src
 
@@ -12,10 +14,10 @@ OBJ := $(addprefix $(SRC_PATH)/, $(addsuffix .o, $(notdir $(basename $(SRC)))))
 default: makedir all
 
 $(BIN_PATH)/tt: $(OBJ)
-	$(CXX) $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJ) $(LDFLAGS)
+	$(CXX)  $(CXXFLAGS) -o $@ $(OBJ) $(LDFLAGS)
 
 $(SRC_PATH)/%.o: $(SRC_PATH)/%.cpp
-	$(CXX) $(OBJFLAGS) -o $@ $<
+	$(CXX) -DPREFIX=$(PREFIX) $(OBJFLAGS) -o $@ $<
 
 makedir:
 	@mkdir -p $(BIN_PATH)
diff --git a/src/tt.cpp b/src/tt.cpp
index adffb15..0d9a8e1 100644
--- a/src/tt.cpp
+++ b/src/tt.cpp
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 #include <iostream>
+#include <fstream>
 #include <vector>
 #include <signal.h>
 #include <unistd.h>
@@ -25,14 +26,42 @@ std::string get_date(){
     std::string date_str = std::to_string(year)+"-"+month_str;
     return date_str;
 }
-std::string user_name;
+
+void parse_config_file(std::string file_name, std::string *user_name, std::string *tracking_dir){
+    std::ifstream f(file_name);
+    if (!f){
+        std::cout << "ABORT: Could not open config file " << file_name << "for reading." << std::endl;
+        f.close();
+        exit(1);
+    }
+    std::string line;
+    while(std::getline(f,line)){
+        size_t place_of_eq = line.find("=");
+        std::string key = line.substr(0,place_of_eq);
+        std::string val = line.substr(place_of_eq+1);
+        if (key == "user_name") *user_name = val;
+        if (key == "tracking_directory") *tracking_dir = val;
+    }
+    if (user_name->length() == 0 || tracking_dir->length() == 0){
+        std::cout << "ABORT: Malformed config file " << file_name << std::endl;
+        f.close();
+        exit(1);
+    }
+    f.close();
+}
+
+std::string user_name, tracking_dir, config_file;
+
+
 
 int main(){ 
     // connect SIGINT signal (CTRL-C) to signal handler from track.h to use it to stop tracking of projects
     signal(SIGINT, handler);
     tracking = 0;
-    user_name = "Patrick";
-
+    std::string prefix=STRING(PREFIX);
+    config_file = prefix+"/etc/tt.conf";
+    parse_config_file(config_file, &user_name, &tracking_dir);    
+    
     // TEST: set up test list
     ProjectList proj_list("dec");
     Project proj("Test Project");
diff --git a/src/tt.h b/src/tt.h
index 84e2355..0552abc 100644
--- a/src/tt.h
+++ b/src/tt.h
@@ -1,6 +1,13 @@
 #ifndef TT_H
 #define TT_H
+#define STRING(s) STR(s)
+#define STR(s) #s
+
 #include <string>
 extern std::string user_name;
+extern std::string tracking_dir;
+extern std::string config_file;
+
 std::string get_date();
+void parse_config_file(std::string file_name, std::string *user_name, std::string *tracking_dir);
 #endif
diff --git a/src/ui.cpp b/src/ui.cpp
index 60156a8..617e287 100644
--- a/src/ui.cpp
+++ b/src/ui.cpp
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@
 #include <ctime>
 #include <iomanip>
 #include <iterator>
+#include <unistd.h>
 #include "ui.h"
 #include "project.h"
 #include "track.h"
@@ -542,7 +543,6 @@ void command_report(std::string date_str, ProjectList* proj_list){
 
     if(date_str.length() == 0){
         // report for current month
-        // get date:
         std::string date = get_date();
         std::cout << "Report for " << user_name << ", month: " << date << std::endl << std::endl;
         
@@ -561,7 +561,8 @@ void command_report(std::string date_str, ProjectList* proj_list){
         }
     }else{
         ProjectList list(month);
-        list.load(date_str);
+        std::string file_name = tracking_dir+"/"+date_str;
+        list.load(file_name);
         if (list.num_projects > 0){
             std::cout << "Report for " << user_name << ", month: " << date_str <<  std::endl << std::endl;
             for (int i=0; i<list.num_projects; i++){
@@ -583,9 +584,12 @@ void command_report(std::string date_str, ProjectList* proj_list){
     }
 }
 
+// save project list to file - POSIX only
 void command_save(ProjectList *proj_list){
     std::string date_str = get_date();
-    std::string file_name = date_str;
+    std::string file_name = tracking_dir+"/"+date_str;
+    std::string command = "mkdir -p "+tracking_dir;
+    system (command.c_str());
     proj_list->save(file_name);
     std::cout << "Tracking data saved to file " << file_name << std::endl;
 }