diff --git a/app/models/rate.rb b/app/models/rate.rb
index 33a1e2f..85e80fc 100644
--- a/app/models/rate.rb
+++ b/app/models/rate.rb
@@ -35,23 +35,38 @@ class Rate < ActiveRecord::Base
     Rate.check_date_string(date)
       
     rate = self.for_user_project_and_date(user, project, date)
-    
+    # Check for a default (non-project) rate
+    rate = self.default_for_user_and_date(user, date) if rate.nil? && project
+
     return nil if rate.nil?
     return rate.amount
   end
   
   private
   def self.for_user_project_and_date(user, project, date)
-    project_id = project.nil? ? nil : project.id
-    return Rate.find(:first,
-                     :order => 'date_in_effect DESC',
-                     :conditions => [
-                                     "user_id IN (?) AND project_id IN (?) AND date_in_effect <= ?",
-                                     user.id,
-                                     project_id,
-                                     date
-                                    ])
-                     
+    if project.nil?
+      return Rate.find(:first,
+                       :order => 'date_in_effect DESC',
+                       :conditions => [
+                                       "user_id IN (?) AND date_in_effect <= ?",
+                                       user.id,
+                                       date
+                                      ])
+    
+    else
+      return Rate.find(:first,
+                       :order => 'date_in_effect DESC',
+                       :conditions => [
+                                       "user_id IN (?) AND project_id IN (?) AND date_in_effect <= ?",
+                                       user.id,
+                                       project.id,
+                                       date
+                                      ])
+    end                     
+  end
+  
+  def self.default_for_user_and_date(user, date)
+    self.for_user_project_and_date(user, nil, date)
   end
 
   # Checks a date string to make sure it is in format of +YYYY-MM-DD+, throwing
diff --git a/spec/models/rate_for_spec.rb b/spec/models/rate_for_spec.rb
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..5537eb7
--- /dev/null
+++ b/spec/models/rate_for_spec.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,32 @@
+require File.dirname(__FILE__) + '/../spec_helper'
+
+describe Rate, 'for' do
+  before(:each) do
+    @user = User.new(:mail => 'metest@example.com', :lastname => 'Test', :firstname => 'Mr')
+    @user.login = 'mr-test'
+    @user.save!
+  end
+  
+  after(:each) do
+    User.destroy_all
+  end
+  
+  describe 'a user with no Rates' do
+    it 'should return nil' do
+      Rate.for(@user).should be_nil
+    end
+  end
+  
+  describe 'a user with one default Rate' do
+    it 'should return the Rate amount if the Rate is in effect' do
+      rate = Rate.create!({ :user_id => @user.id, :amount => 100.0, :date_in_effect => Date.today})
+      Rate.for(@user).should eql(rate.amount)
+    end
+
+    it 'should return nil if the Rate is not in effect yet' do
+      Rate.for(@user).should be_nil
+    end
+    
+    it 'should return the same default Rate on a proejct'
+  end
+end
diff --git a/spec/models/rate_spec.rb b/spec/models/rate_spec.rb
index 11accf4..7a72c29 100644
--- a/spec/models/rate_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/models/rate_spec.rb
@@ -169,8 +169,15 @@ describe Rate, 'for' do
       Rate.for(@user, @project, @date).should eql(@rate.amount)
     end
     
-    it 'should return nil if no rate is found' do
+    it 'should check for a default rate if no rate is found' do
       Rate.should_receive(:for_user_project_and_date).with(@user, @project, @date).and_return(nil)
+      Rate.should_receive(:default_for_user_and_date).with(@user, @date).and_return(@rate)
+      Rate.for(@user, @project, @date).should eql(@rate.amount)
+    end
+    
+    it 'should return nil if no set or default rate is found' do
+      Rate.should_receive(:for_user_project_and_date).with(@user, @project, @date).and_return(nil)
+      Rate.should_receive(:default_for_user_and_date).with(@user, @date).and_return(nil)
       Rate.for(@user, @project, @date).should be_nil
     end
   end
@@ -186,8 +193,9 @@ describe Rate, 'for' do
       Rate.for(@user, @project).should eql(@rate.amount)
     end
 
-    it 'should return nil if no rate is found' do
+    it 'should return nil if no set or default rate is found' do
       Rate.should_receive(:for_user_project_and_date).with(@user, @project, Date.today.to_s).and_return(nil)
+      Rate.should_receive(:default_for_user_and_date).with(@user, Date.today.to_s).and_return(nil)
       Rate.for(@user, @project).should be_nil
     end
   end
@@ -203,7 +211,7 @@ describe Rate, 'for' do
       Rate.for(@user).should eql(@rate.amount)
     end
 
-    it 'should return nil if no rate is found' do
+    it 'should return nil if no set or default rate is found' do
       Rate.should_receive(:for_user_project_and_date).with(@user, nil, Date.today.to_s).and_return(nil)
       Rate.for(@user).should be_nil
     end
@@ -279,9 +287,8 @@ describe Rate, 'for_user_project_and_date (private)' do
   
   it 'should search rates without a project when +project+ is nil' do
     Rate.should_receive(:find).with(:first, {
-                                      :conditions => ["user_id IN (?) AND project_id IN (?) AND date_in_effect <= ?",
+                                      :conditions => ["user_id IN (?) AND date_in_effect <= ?",
                                                       @user.id,
-                                                      nil,
                                                       @date
                                                      ],
                                       :order => 'date_in_effect DESC'