diff --git a/.bash_colours b/.bash_colours
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..547d1db
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.bash_colours
@@ -0,0 +1,25 @@
+red='\[\e[0;31m\]'
+RED='\[\e[1;31m\]'
+redbg='\[\e[41m\]'
+
+blue='\[\e[0;34m\]'
+BLUE='\[\e[1;34m\]'
+bluebg='\[\e[44m\]'
+
+cyan='\[\e[0;36m\]'
+CYAN='\[\e[1;36m\]'
+cyanbg='\[\e[46m\]'
+
+green='\[\e[0;32m\]'
+GREEN='\[\e[1;32m\]'
+greenbg='\[\e[42m\]'
+
+yellow='\[\e[0;33m\]'
+YELLOW='\[\e[1;33m\]'
+yellowbg='\[\e[43m\]'
+
+purple='\[\e[0;35m\]'
+PURPLE='\[\e[1;35m\]'
+purplebg='\[\e[45m\]'
+
+nc='\[\e[0m\]'
diff --git a/.bashrc b/.bashrc
index 855cbb9..a40026e 100644
--- a/.bashrc
+++ b/.bashrc
@@ -13,19 +13,9 @@ shopt -s histappend
 # update the values of LINES and COLUMNS.
 shopt -s checkwinsize
 
-red='\[\e[0;31m\]'
-RED='\[\e[1;31m\]'
-blue='\[\e[0;34m\]'
-BLUE='\[\e[1;34m\]'
-cyan='\[\e[0;36m\]'
-CYAN='\[\e[1;36m\]'
-green='\[\e[0;32m\]'
-GREEN='\[\e[1;32m\]'
-yellow='\[\e[0;33m\]'
-YELLOW='\[\e[1;33m\]'
-PURPLE='\[\e[1;35m\]'
-purple='\[\e[0;35m\]'
-nc='\[\e[0m\]'
+if [ -f ~/.bash_colours ]; then
+    source ~/.bash_colours
+fi
 
 if [ -f /usr/share/git/completion/git-prompt.sh ]; then
     source /usr/share/git/completion/git-prompt.sh