diff --git a/blog.py b/blog.py
index 8387010be..6e49f1030 100644
--- a/blog.py
+++ b/blog.py
@@ -47,6 +47,7 @@ from newswire import rss2header
 from newswire import rss2footer
 from cache import get_person_from_cache
 from flags import is_image_file
+from data import load_string
 
 
 def _no_of_blog_replies(base_dir: str, http_prefix: str, translate: {},
@@ -148,12 +149,11 @@ def _get_blog_replies(base_dir: str, http_prefix: str, translate: {},
                     '/postcache/' + \
                     post_id.replace('/', '#') + '.html'
                 if os.path.isfile(post_filename):
-                    try:
-                        with open(post_filename, 'r',
-                                  encoding='utf-8') as fp_post:
-                            return fp_post.read() + '\n'
-                    except OSError:
-                        print('EX: unable to read blog 3 ' + post_filename)
+                    blog_text = load_string(post_filename,
+                                            'EX: unable to read blog 3 ' +
+                                            post_filename)
+                    if blog_text is not None:
+                        return blog_text + '\n'
         return ''
 
     lines: list[str] = []
@@ -177,11 +177,11 @@ def _get_blog_replies(base_dir: str, http_prefix: str, translate: {},
                 reply_post_id.replace('/', '#') + '.html'
             if not os.path.isfile(post_filename):
                 continue
-            try:
-                with open(post_filename, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as fp_post:
-                    replies_str += fp_post.read() + '\n'
-            except OSError:
-                print('EX: unable to read blog replies ' + post_filename)
+            reply_text = load_string(post_filename,
+                                     'EX: unable to read blog replies ' +
+                                     post_filename)
+            if reply_text:
+                replies_str += reply_text + '\n'
             rply = _get_blog_replies(base_dir, http_prefix, translate,
                                      nickname, domain, domain_full,
                                      reply_post_id, depth+1)
@@ -934,13 +934,12 @@ def html_edit_blog(media_instance: bool, translate: {},
     # load blog template if it exists
     dir_str = data_dir(base_dir)
     if os.path.isfile(dir_str + '/newblog.txt'):
-        try:
-            with open(dir_str + '/newblog.txt', 'r',
-                      encoding='utf-8') as fp_blog:
-                edit_blog_text: str = '<p>' + fp_blog.read() + '</p>'
-        except OSError:
-            print('EX: html_edit_blog unable to read ' +
-                  dir_str + '/newblog.txt')
+        edit_blog_text_str = \
+            load_string(dir_str + '/newblog.txt',
+                        'EX: html_edit_blog unable to read ' +
+                        dir_str + '/newblog.txt')
+        if edit_blog_text_str:
+            edit_blog_text: str = '<p>' + edit_blog_text_str + '</p>'
 
     css_filename = base_dir + '/epicyon-profile.css'
     if os.path.isfile(base_dir + '/epicyon.css'):
diff --git a/bookmarks.py b/bookmarks.py
index 0faa5a4a9..1c97f12cc 100644
--- a/bookmarks.py
+++ b/bookmarks.py
@@ -35,6 +35,8 @@ from utils import remove_html
 from utils import get_actor_from_post
 from posts import get_person_box
 from session import post_json
+from data import load_string
+from data import save_string
 
 
 def undo_bookmarks_collection_entry(recent_posts_cache: {},
@@ -79,21 +81,16 @@ def undo_bookmarks_collection_entry(recent_posts_cache: {},
     if not text_in_file(bookmark_index, bookmarks_index_filename):
         return
     index_str: str = ''
-    try:
-        with open(bookmarks_index_filename, 'r',
-                  encoding='utf-8') as fp_index:
-            index_str = fp_index.read().replace(bookmark_index + '\n', '')
-    except OSError:
-        print('EX: undo_bookmarks_collection_entry unable to read ' +
-              bookmarks_index_filename)
+    index_str2 = \
+        load_string(bookmarks_index_filename,
+                    'EX: undo_bookmarks_collection_entry unable to read ' +
+                    bookmarks_index_filename)
+    if index_str2:
+        index_str = index_str2.replace(bookmark_index + '\n', '')
     if index_str:
-        try:
-            with open(bookmarks_index_filename, 'w+',
-                      encoding='utf-8') as fp_bmi:
-                fp_bmi.write(index_str)
-        except OSError:
-            print('EX: unable to write bookmarks index ' +
-                  bookmarks_index_filename)
+        save_string(index_str, bookmarks_index_filename,
+                    'EX: unable to write bookmarks index ' +
+                    bookmarks_index_filename)
     if not post_json_object.get('type'):
         return
     if post_json_object['type'] != 'Create':
@@ -269,13 +266,9 @@ def update_bookmarks_collection(recent_posts_cache: {},
                     print('WARN: Failed to write entry to bookmarks index ' +
                           bookmarks_index_filename + ' ' + str(ex))
     else:
-        try:
-            with open(bookmarks_index_filename, 'w+',
-                      encoding='utf-8') as fp_bm:
-                fp_bm.write(bookmark_index + '\n')
-        except OSError:
-            print('EX: unable to write bookmarks index ' +
-                  bookmarks_index_filename)
+        save_string(bookmark_index + '\n', bookmarks_index_filename,
+                    'EX: unable to write bookmarks index ' +
+                    bookmarks_index_filename)
 
 
 def bookmark_post(recent_posts_cache: {},
diff --git a/categories.py b/categories.py
index c4b2d8867..8ad2278bb 100644
--- a/categories.py
+++ b/categories.py
@@ -14,6 +14,8 @@ from timeFunctions import date_epoch
 from utils import data_dir
 from utils import replace_strings
 from utils import get_invalid_characters
+from data import load_string
+from data import save_string
 
 MAX_TAG_LENGTH = 42
 
@@ -69,11 +71,12 @@ def load_city_hashtags(base_dir: str, translate: {}) -> None:
             if not os.path.isfile(cities_filename):
                 continue
             cities: list[str] = []
-            try:
-                with open(cities_filename, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as fp_cities:
-                    cities = fp_cities.read().split('\n')
-            except OSError:
-                print('EX: unable to load cities file ' + cities_filename)
+            cities_str = \
+                load_string(cities_filename,
+                            'EX: unable to load cities file ' +
+                            cities_filename)
+            if cities_str:
+                cities = cities_str.split('\n')
             if not cities:
                 continue
             for hashtag in cities:
@@ -83,13 +86,9 @@ def load_city_hashtags(base_dir: str, translate: {}) -> None:
                 hashtag2 = replace_strings(hashtag, replacements2)
                 city_filename = base_dir + '/tags/' + hashtag2 + '.category'
                 if not os.path.isfile(city_filename):
-                    try:
-                        with open(city_filename, 'w+',
-                                  encoding='utf-8') as fp_city:
-                            fp_city.write(category_str)
-                    except OSError:
-                        print('EX: unable to write city category ' +
-                              city_filename)
+                    save_string(category_str, city_filename,
+                                'EX: unable to write city category ' +
+                                city_filename)
                 if '-' in hashtag:
                     section = hashtag.split('-')
                     new_hashtag: str = ''
@@ -99,13 +98,9 @@ def load_city_hashtags(base_dir: str, translate: {}) -> None:
                     city_filename = \
                         base_dir + '/tags/' + hashtag2 + '.category'
                     if not os.path.isfile(city_filename):
-                        try:
-                            with open(city_filename, 'w+',
-                                      encoding='utf-8') as fp_city:
-                                fp_city.write(category_str)
-                        except OSError:
-                            print('EX: unable to write city category2 ' +
-                                  city_filename)
+                        save_string(category_str, city_filename,
+                                    'EX: unable to write city category2 ' +
+                                    city_filename)
                 if ' ' in hashtag:
                     section = hashtag.split(' ')
                     new_hashtag: str = ''
@@ -115,13 +110,9 @@ def load_city_hashtags(base_dir: str, translate: {}) -> None:
                     city_filename = \
                         base_dir + '/tags/' + hashtag2 + '.category'
                     if not os.path.isfile(city_filename):
-                        try:
-                            with open(city_filename, 'w+',
-                                      encoding='utf-8') as fp_city:
-                                fp_city.write(category_str)
-                        except OSError:
-                            print('EX: unable to write city category3 ' +
-                                  city_filename)
+                        save_string(category_str, city_filename,
+                                    'EX: unable to write city category3 ' +
+                                    city_filename)
 
 
 def get_hashtag_categories(base_dir: str,
@@ -213,12 +204,9 @@ def update_hashtag_categories(base_dir: str) -> None:
         category_list_str += category_str + '\n'
 
     # save a list of available categories for quick lookup
-    try:
-        with open(category_list_filename, 'w+',
-                  encoding='utf-8') as fp_category:
-            fp_category.write(category_list_str)
-    except OSError:
-        print('EX: unable to write category ' + category_list_filename)
+    save_string(category_list_str, category_list_filename,
+                'EX: unable to write category ' +
+                category_list_filename)
 
 
 def _valid_hashtag_category(category: str) -> bool:
diff --git a/city.py b/city.py
index f61e8603e..a854e97d5 100644
--- a/city.py
+++ b/city.py
@@ -19,6 +19,7 @@ import math
 from random import randint
 from utils import acct_dir
 from utils import remove_eol
+from data import load_string
 
 # states which the simulated city dweller can be in
 PERSON_SLEEP = 0
@@ -230,11 +231,11 @@ def spoof_geolocation(base_dir: str,
                     default_latdirection, default_longdirection,
                     "", "", 0)
         cities: list[str] = []
-        try:
-            with open(locations_filename, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as fp_loc:
-                cities = fp_loc.readlines()
-        except OSError:
-            print('EX: unable to read locations ' + locations_filename)
+        cities_str = load_string(locations_filename,
+                                 'EX: unable to read locations ' +
+                                 locations_filename)
+        if cities_str:
+            cities = cities_str.split('\n')
 
     nogo = []
     if nogo_list:
@@ -242,11 +243,12 @@ def spoof_geolocation(base_dir: str,
     else:
         if os.path.isfile(nogo_filename):
             nogo_list: list[str] = []
-            try:
-                with open(nogo_filename, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as fp_nogo:
-                    nogo_list = fp_nogo.readlines()
-            except OSError:
-                print('EX: spoof_geolocation unable to read ' + nogo_filename)
+            nogo_list_str = \
+                load_string(nogo_filename,
+                            'EX: spoof_geolocation unable to read ' +
+                            nogo_filename)
+            if nogo_list_str:
+                nogo_list = nogo_list_str.split('\n')
             for line in nogo_list:
                 if line.startswith(city + ':'):
                     polygon = parse_nogo_string(line)
@@ -338,12 +340,11 @@ def get_spoofed_city(city: str, base_dir: str,
     city: str = ''
     city_filename = acct_dir(base_dir, nickname, domain) + '/city.txt'
     if os.path.isfile(city_filename):
-        try:
-            with open(city_filename, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as fp_city:
-                city1 = fp_city.read()
-                city = remove_eol(city1)
-        except OSError:
-            print('EX: get_spoofed_city unable to read ' + city_filename)
+        city1 = load_string(city_filename,
+                            'EX: get_spoofed_city unable to read ' +
+                            city_filename)
+        if city1:
+            city = remove_eol(city1)
     return city