diff --git a/settings.go b/settings.go
index db9c458..9433661 100644
--- a/settings.go
+++ b/settings.go
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ import (
 	"log"
 	"os"
 	"path/filepath"
+	"strconv"
 	"strings"
 	"sync"
 	"sync/atomic"
@@ -174,3 +175,44 @@ func ParseBool(value string) (bool, error) {
 		return false, fmt.Errorf("cannot parse '%s' as bool", value)
 	}
 }
+
+func (s *Settings) GetStringOrDefault(key, defaultValue string) string {
+	if got := s.GetKeyValue(key); len(got) > 0 {
+		return got
+	} else {
+		return defaultValue
+	}
+}
+
+func (s *Settings) GetBoolOrDefault(key string, defaultValue bool) bool {
+	got := s.GetKeyValue(key)
+	parsed, err := ParseBool(got)
+	if err == nil {
+		return parsed
+	} else if len(got) > 0 {
+		log.Printf("Settings::GetBoolOrDefault error parsing key %q value %q as bool: %v\n", key, got, err)
+	}
+	return defaultValue
+}
+
+func (s *Settings) GetDurationOrDefault(key string, defaultValue time.Duration) time.Duration {
+	got := s.GetKeyValue(key)
+	dur, err := time.ParseDuration(got)
+	if err == nil {
+		return dur
+	} else if len(got) > 0 {
+		log.Printf("Settings::GetDurationOrDefault error parsing key %q value %q as time.Duration: %v\n", key, got, err)
+	}
+	return defaultValue
+}
+
+func (s *Settings) GetIntOrDefault(key string, defaultValue int) int {
+	got := s.GetKeyValue(key)
+	n, err := strconv.Atoi(got)
+	if err == nil {
+		return n
+	} else if len(got) > 0 {
+		log.Printf("Settings::GetIntOrDefault error parsing key %q value %q as int: %v\n", key, got, err)
+	}
+	return defaultValue
+}