diff --git a/bot.py b/bot.py
index f98e71b..de06119 100644
--- a/bot.py
+++ b/bot.py
@@ -22,10 +22,9 @@ def __init__(self, config, db, on_connect_cb):
         self.__db = db
         self.__on_connect_cb = on_connect_cb
         self.__servers = [irc.bot.ServerSpec(self.__config.HOST, self.__config.PORT, self.__config.PASSWORD)]
-        self.num_col = self.__config.num_col
-        self.date = self.__config.date
-        self.feedname = self.__config.feedname
-        self.shorturls = self.__config.shorturls
+        self.color_num = self.__config.num_col
+        self.color_date = self.__config.date
+        self.color_feedname = self.__config.feedname
         self.dateformat = self.__config.dateformat
 
         if self.__config.SSL:
@@ -41,7 +40,7 @@ def on_welcome(self, connection, event):
 
     def on_join(self, connection, event):
         """Say hello to other people in the channel. """
-        connection.privmsg(self.__config.CHANNEL, "Hi, I'm " + Colours('3',str(connection.get_nickname())).get() + " your bot. Send " + Colours(self.num_col,"!help").get() +" to get a list of commands.")
+        connection.privmsg(self.__config.CHANNEL, "Hi, I'm " + self.__get_colored_text('3',str(connection.get_nickname())) + " your bot. Send " + self.__get_colored_text(self.color_num,"!help") +" to get a list of commands.")
         self.__on_connect_cb()
 
     def __handle_msg(self, msg):
@@ -55,19 +54,19 @@ def __handle_msg(self, msg):
             elif msg == "!list":
                 answer = ""
                 for entry in self.__db.get_feeds():
-                    answer += "#" + Colours(self.num_col,str(entry[0])).get() + ": " + entry[1] + ", " + Colours('',str(entry[2])).get() + Colours(self.date,", updated every ").get() + Colours(self.num_col,str(entry[3])).get() + Colours(self.date," min").get() + "\n"
+                    answer += "#" + self.__get_colored_text(self.color_num,str(entry[0])) + ": " + entry[1] + ", " + self.__get_colored_text('',str(entry[2])) + self.__get_colored_text(self.color_date,", updated every ") + self.__get_colored_text(self.color_num,str(entry[3])) + self.__get_colored_text(self.color_date," min") + "\n"
 
             # Print some simple stats (Feed / News count)
             elif msg == "!stats":
                 feeds_count = self.__db.get_feeds_count()
                 news_count = self.__db.get_news_count()
-                answer = "Feeds: " + Colours(self.num_col,str(feeds_count)).get() + ", News: " + Colours(self.num_col,str(news_count)).get()
+                answer = "Feeds: " + self.__get_colored_text(self.color_num,str(feeds_count)) + ", News: " + self.__get_colored_text(self.color_num,str(news_count))
 
             # Print last 25 news.
             elif msg == "!last":
                 answer = ""
                 for entry in self.__db.get_latest_news(self.__config.feedlimit)[::-1]:
-                    answer += "#" + Colours(self.num_col,str(entry[0])).get() + ": " + entry[1] + ", " + Colours('',str(entry[2])).get() + ", " + Colours(self.date,entry[3]).get() + "\n"
+                    answer += "#" + self.__get_colored_text(self.color_num,str(entry[0])) + ": " + entry[1] + ", " + self.__get_colored_text('',str(entry[2])) + ", " + self.__get_colored_text(self.color_date,entry[3]) + "\n"
 
             # Print last 25 news for a specific feed
             elif msg.startswith("!lastfeed"):
@@ -75,9 +74,9 @@ def __handle_msg(self, msg):
                 try:
                     feedid = int(msg.replace("!lastfeed","").strip())
                 except:
-                    return Colours('1',"Wrong command: ").get() + msg + ", use: !lastfeed <feedid>"
+                    return self.__get_colored_text('1',"Wrong command: ") + msg + ", use: !lastfeed <feedid>"
                 for entry in self.__db.get_news_from_feed(feedid, self.__config.feedlimit)[::-1]:
-                    answer += "#" + Colours(self.num_col,str(entry[0])).get() + ": " + entry[1] + ", " + Colours('',str(entry[2])).get() + ", " + Colours(self.date,str(entry[3])).get() + "\n"
+                    answer += "#" + self.__get_colored_text(self.color_num,str(entry[0])) + ": " + entry[1] + ", " + self.__get_colored_text('',str(entry[2])) + ", " + self.__get_colored_text(self.color_date,str(entry[3])) + "\n"
 
             # Else tell the user how to use the bot
             else:
@@ -131,11 +130,17 @@ def send_msg(self, target, msg):
     def post_news(self, feed_name, title, url, date):
         """Posts a new announcement to the channel"""
         try:
-            msg = Colours(self.feedname,str(feed_name)).get() + ": " + title + ", " + Colours('',url).get() + ", " + Colours(self.date,str(date)).get()
+            msg = self.__get_colored_text(self.color_feedname,str(feed_name)) + ": " + title + ", " + self.__get_colored_text('',url) + ", " + self.__get_colored_text(self.color_date,str(date))
             self.send_msg(self.__config.CHANNEL, msg)
         except Exception as e:
             print e
 
+    def __get_colored_text(self, color, text):
+        if not self.__config.use_colors:
+            return text
+
+        return Colours(color, text).get()
+
     def __help_msg(self):
         """Returns the help/usage message"""
         return """\
diff --git a/config.py.sample b/config.py.sample
index fb023b1..66cc55f 100644
--- a/config.py.sample
+++ b/config.py.sample
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class Config(object):
         #4 - blue		5 - purple  6 - cyan
         #7 - lightgreen 8 - grey	9 - pink
         #10 - lighblue
+        self.use_colors = True
         self.num_col = '1'
         self.date = '8'
         self.feedname = '2'