diff --git a/.vimrc b/.vimrc
index b8964b0..f20cddc 100644
--- a/.vimrc
+++ b/.vimrc
@@ -53,7 +53,9 @@ set nobackup
 set nowritebackup
 set tabstop=4
 set shiftwidth=4	" set to same as tabstop for auto-indent
+set expandtab		" new tabs entered as spaces
 set clipboard=unnamedplus
+set directory^=$HOME/.vim/swap//
 
 " save undo buffer, make sure directory exists!
 set undofile