diff --git a/src/main/java/org/fenix/llanfair/Llanfair.java b/src/main/java/org/fenix/llanfair/Llanfair.java
index ce524a7..14915c5 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/fenix/llanfair/Llanfair.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/fenix/llanfair/Llanfair.java
@@ -3,6 +3,7 @@ package org.fenix.llanfair;
 import org.fenix.llanfair.config.Settings;
 import org.fenix.llanfair.gui.RunPane;
 import org.fenix.utils.Resources;
+import org.fenix.utils.UserSettings;
 import org.fenix.utils.gui.BorderlessFrame;
 import org.fenix.utils.locale.LocaleDelegate;
 import org.fenix.utils.locale.LocaleEvent;
@@ -63,6 +64,9 @@ public class Llanfair extends BorderlessFrame implements TableModelListener,
 	 */
 	private Llanfair() {
 		super( "Llanfair" );
+
+		UserSettings.initDirectory();
+
 		LocaleDelegate.setDefault( Settings.language.get() );
 		LocaleDelegate.addLocaleListener( this );
 
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/fenix/llanfair/config/Settings.java b/src/main/java/org/fenix/llanfair/config/Settings.java
index 9c4427f..8379b4d 100644
--- a/src/main/java/org/fenix/llanfair/config/Settings.java
+++ b/src/main/java/org/fenix/llanfair/config/Settings.java
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ package org.fenix.llanfair.config;
 
 import org.fenix.llanfair.Language;
 import org.fenix.llanfair.Run;
+import org.fenix.utils.UserSettings;
 import org.fenix.utils.config.Configuration;
 
 import java.awt.*;
@@ -179,7 +180,7 @@ public class Settings {
 	 * whose value is requested.
 	 */
 	private static void retrieve() {
-		global = Configuration.newInstance( new File( "./llanfair.xml" ) );
+		global = Configuration.newInstance( new File(UserSettings.getSettingsPath() + File.separator + "llanfair.xml" ) );
 		if ( global.isEmpty() ) {
 			setDefaultValues();
 		}
diff --git a/src/main/java/org/fenix/utils/UserSettings.java b/src/main/java/org/fenix/utils/UserSettings.java
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ceb1729
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/java/org/fenix/utils/UserSettings.java
@@ -0,0 +1,37 @@
+package org.fenix.utils;
+
+import java.io.File;
+
+public class UserSettings {
+	private static File settingsPath = new File(System.getProperty("user.home") + File.separator + ".llanfair");
+	private static File splitsPath = new File(settingsPath.getPath() + File.separator + "splits");
+
+	/**
+	 * Checks for the existence of the directory used to store the user's settings for the
+	 * application. If it does not exist, we attempt to create it.
+	 */
+	public static void initDirectory() {
+		Boolean settingsPathExists = settingsPath.exists();
+
+		if (!settingsPathExists)
+			settingsPathExists = settingsPath.mkdir();
+
+		if (!splitsPath.exists() && settingsPathExists)
+			splitsPath.mkdir();
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns the path to the location where user settings can be saved in.
+	 */
+	public static String getSettingsPath() {
+		return settingsPath.getPath();
+	}
+
+	/**
+	 * Returns the path to the location where splits can be saved in. This is
+	 * located as a subdirectory within the user settings directory.
+	 */
+	public static String getSplitsPath() {
+		return splitsPath.getPath();
+	}
+}