diff --git a/src/habitmgr.rs b/src/habitmgr.rs
index 2581b37..0180731 100644
--- a/src/habitmgr.rs
+++ b/src/habitmgr.rs
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@
  */
 
 use std::path::PathBuf;
-use std::fs::File;
+use std::fs::{File, OpenOptions};
 use std::io::{BufReader, BufRead};
 
 use crate::habit::Habit;
@@ -25,39 +25,72 @@ use crate::habit::Habit;
 pub struct HabitMgr
 {
 	habits:Vec<Habit>,
+	data_dir:PathBuf,
 }
 
 impl HabitMgr
 {
-	pub fn new(actives_p:&PathBuf) -> Self
+	pub fn new(data_dir:&PathBuf) -> Self
 	{
-		let actives_f = File::open(&actives_p)
+		Self
+		{
+			habits: Vec::new(),
+			data_dir: data_dir.clone(),
+		}
+	}
+
+	fn import_habits(&mut self)
+	{
+		// TODO: move habits_path to new function to avoid redundant code
+		let habits_path:PathBuf = self.data_dir.clone().join("active_habits.json");
+		if !habits_path.is_file()
+		{
+			File::create(&habits_path)
+				.unwrap_or_else(|e| {
+					panic!("Error creating file {}:\n{}",
+								 habits_path.display(), e)
+				});
+		}
+		let habits_file = File::open(&habits_path)
 			.unwrap_or_else(|e| {
-				panic!("Error opening file {}:\n{}", actives_p.display(), e);
+				panic!("Error opening file {}:\n{}", habits_path.display(), e);
 			});
-		let reader = BufReader::new(&actives_f);
-		//let imports:Vec<Habit> = serde_json::from_reader(reader).unwrap();
-		let mut imports:Vec<Habit> = Vec::new();
+		let reader = BufReader::new(&habits_file);
+		// TODO: figure out a way to do this with from_reader() instead to simplify
+		//habits = serde_json::from_reader(reader).unwrap();
 
 		for (_i, line) in reader.lines().enumerate()
 		{
 			let habit:Habit = serde_json::from_str(line.unwrap().as_str()).unwrap();
-			imports.push(habit);
-		}
-
-		Self
-		{
-			habits: imports,
+			self.habits.push(habit);
 		}
 	}
 
 	pub fn add(&mut self, name:String, bad:bool, weight:u8, _days:String)
 	{
-		self.habits.push(Habit::new(name, bad, weight));
+		let habits_path:PathBuf = self.data_dir.clone().join("active_habits.json");
+		if !habits_path.is_file()
+		{
+			File::create(&habits_path)
+				.unwrap_or_else(|e| {
+					panic!("Error creating file {}:\n{}",
+								 habits_path.display(), e)
+				});
+		}
+		let habits_file = OpenOptions::new()
+			.write(true)
+			.append(true)
+			.open(&habits_path)
+			.unwrap_or_else(|e| {
+				panic!("Error opening file {}:\n{}", habits_path.display(), e);
+			});
+
+		let habit = Habit::new(name, bad, weight);
 	}
 
-	pub fn list(&self, all:bool, verbose:bool)
+	pub fn list(&mut self, all:bool, verbose:bool)
 	{
+		self.import_habits();
 		for i in &self.habits
 		{
 			println!("{}", i.get_name());
diff --git a/src/main.rs b/src/main.rs
index 31cdb74..7b98e7d 100644
--- a/src/main.rs
+++ b/src/main.rs
@@ -21,7 +21,6 @@ use structopt::clap::AppSettings;
 use std::env;
 use std::path::PathBuf;
 use std::fs;
-use std::fs::File;
 
 mod habit;
 mod habitmgr;
@@ -91,17 +90,7 @@ fn main()
 			.unwrap_or_else(|e| { panic!("Filesystem error: {}", e) });
 	}
 
-	let actives_p:PathBuf = data_dir.clone().join("active_habits.json");
-	if !actives_p.is_file()
-	{
-		File::create(&actives_p)
-			.unwrap_or_else(|e| {
-				panic!("Error creating file {}:\n{}",
-							 actives_p.display(), e)
-			});
-	}
-
-	let mut hmgr = HabitMgr::new(&actives_p);
+	let mut hmgr = HabitMgr::new(&data_dir);
 
 	match opts.cmd
 	{