diff --git a/src/project.cpp b/src/project.cpp
index a775afb..3f42c58 100644
--- a/src/project.cpp
+++ b/src/project.cpp
@@ -104,7 +104,7 @@ void ProjectList::save(std::string file_name){
     of.close();
 }
 
-void ProjectList::load(std::string file_name){
+void ProjectList::load(std::string file_name, bool ignore_worktimes){
     std::ifstream inf(file_name, std::ios::binary);
     int active;
     if (!inf){
@@ -142,7 +142,7 @@ void ProjectList::load(std::string file_name){
             Task task(task_name);
             int work_time=0;
             inf.read((char*) &(work_time), sizeof(int));
-            task.add_time(work_time);
+            if(!ignore_worktimes) task.add_time(work_time);
             proj.add_task(task);  
         }
         // needed to get the active_task pointers right _after_ adding tasks to projetcs
diff --git a/src/project.h b/src/project.h
index e88fe68..ab47439 100644
--- a/src/project.h
+++ b/src/project.h
@@ -33,7 +33,7 @@ class ProjectList{
         Project *active_project;
         void set_active_project(int id);
         void save(std::string file_name);
-        void load(std::string file_name);
+        void load(std::string file_name, bool ignore_worktimes=false);
         Project *find_project_by_name(std::string proj_name);
         int find_project_id_by_name(std::string proj_name); 
 };
diff --git a/src/tt.cpp b/src/tt.cpp
index 0d9a8e1..d8138f2 100644
--- a/src/tt.cpp
+++ b/src/tt.cpp
@@ -27,6 +27,27 @@ std::string get_date(){
     return date_str;
 }
 
+std::string get_last_date(){
+    time_t t = time(NULL);
+    tm *date = localtime(&t);
+    int month = date->tm_mon;
+    int year = date->tm_year+1900;
+
+    if(month == 0){
+        month = 12;
+        year--;
+    }
+    
+    std::string month_str;
+    if (month < 10){
+        month_str = "0"+std::to_string(month);
+    }else{
+        month_str = std::to_string(month);
+    }
+    std::string date_str = std::to_string(year)+"-"+month_str;
+    return date_str;
+}
+
 void parse_config_file(std::string file_name, std::string *user_name, std::string *tracking_dir){
     std::ifstream f(file_name);
     if (!f){
@@ -62,20 +83,28 @@ int main(){
     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");
-    Task task1("Task 1"),task2("Task 2"),task3("Task 3");
-    proj.add_task(task1);
-    proj.add_task(task2);
-    proj.add_task(task3);
-    proj_list.add_project(proj);
-   // proj_list.load(get_date());
+    ProjectList proj_list(get_date());
+    
+    // if available: load project list for current month, else: start with list from last month
+    std::string proj_file = tracking_dir+"/"+get_date();
+    std::string last_proj_file = tracking_dir+"/"+get_last_date();
+    std::ifstream f(proj_file);
+    std::ifstream lf(last_proj_file);
+    if(f){
+        f.close();
+        lf.close();
+        proj_list.load(proj_file);
+    }else if (lf){
+        f.close();
+        lf.close();
+        // don't load work times from previous month
+        proj_list.load(last_proj_file,true);
+    }
 
     init_autocomplete(&proj_list);
+
     // use GNU readline for auto completion and history when parsing command input
     while(1) {
-
         rl_attempted_completion_function = tt_name_completion;
         char *buffer = readline("tt> ");
         if (buffer){
diff --git a/src/tt.h b/src/tt.h
index 0552abc..58c5acc 100644
--- a/src/tt.h
+++ b/src/tt.h
@@ -9,5 +9,6 @@ extern std::string tracking_dir;
 extern std::string config_file;
 
 std::string get_date();
+std::string get_last_date();
 void parse_config_file(std::string file_name, std::string *user_name, std::string *tracking_dir);
 #endif