diff --git a/CHANGELOG.md b/CHANGELOG.md
index 484d9ab7..db51ba5b 100644
--- a/CHANGELOG.md
+++ b/CHANGELOG.md
@@ -2,6 +2,16 @@
 
 Follows [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).
 
+## Unreleased
+
+### Added
+
+- Support for storing git-mob settings in a custom git config file via the GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE environment variable. When set, git-mob will use git config --file <path> ... for its settings instead of --global. This is non-breaking and intended for per-machine / dotfiles workflows. (Closes #282)
+
+### Tests
+
+- Unit tests added to verify file-scoped vs global config behavior for git-mob settings.
+
 ## git-mob-core 0.10.1
 
 ### Fixed
diff --git a/packages/git-mob-core/src/git-mob-api/config-scope.ts b/packages/git-mob-core/src/git-mob-api/config-scope.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..8f39bdb1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/git-mob-core/src/git-mob-api/config-scope.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,8 @@
+export function configScopeFlag(): string {
+  const file = process.env.GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE;
+  if (file && file.length > 0) {
+    // callers should provide an absolute/expanded path
+    return `--file ${file}`;
+  }
+  return '--global';
+}
diff --git a/packages/git-mob-core/src/git-mob-api/git-mob-config.ts b/packages/git-mob-core/src/git-mob-api/git-mob-config.ts
index 672446c5..7966b76e 100644
--- a/packages/git-mob-core/src/git-mob-api/git-mob-config.ts
+++ b/packages/git-mob-core/src/git-mob-api/git-mob-config.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,5 @@
 import { getConfig, getAllConfig, execCommand } from './exec-command.js';
+import { configScopeFlag } from './config-scope.js';
 
 export async function localTemplate() {
   const localTemplate = await getConfig('--local git-mob-config.use-local-template');
@@ -6,22 +7,26 @@ export async function localTemplate() {
 }
 
 export async function fetchFromGitHub() {
-  const githubFetch = await getConfig('--global git-mob-config.github-fetch');
+  const scope = configScopeFlag();
+  const githubFetch = await getConfig(`${scope} git-mob-config.github-fetch`);
   return githubFetch === 'true';
 }
 
 export async function getSetCoAuthors() {
-  return getAllConfig('--global git-mob.co-author');
+  const scope = configScopeFlag();
+  return getAllConfig(`${scope} git-mob.co-author`);
 }
 
 export async function addCoAuthor(coAuthor: string) {
-  const addAuthorQuery = `git config --add --global git-mob.co-author "${coAuthor}"`;
+  const scope = configScopeFlag();
+  const addAuthorQuery = `git config --add ${scope} git-mob.co-author "${coAuthor}"`;
 
   return execCommand(addAuthorQuery);
 }
 
 export async function removeGitMobSection() {
   try {
-    return await execCommand('git config --global --remove-section git-mob');
+    const scope = configScopeFlag();
+    return await execCommand(`git config ${scope} --remove-section git-mob`);
   } catch {}
 }
diff --git a/packages/git-mob-core/test/git-mob-config.spec.ts b/packages/git-mob-core/test/git-mob-config.spec.ts
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..e1df5587
--- /dev/null
+++ b/packages/git-mob-core/test/git-mob-config.spec.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,43 @@
+import test from 'ava';
+import sinon from 'sinon';
+import * as execModule from '../src/git-mob-api/exec-command.js';
+import * as gitMobConfig from '../src/git-mob-api/git-mob-config.js';
+
+test.afterEach(() => {
+  delete process.env.GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE;
+  sinon.restore();
+});
+
+test.serial('addCoAuthor uses --global when GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE not set', async t => {
+  const stub = sinon.stub(execModule, 'execCommand').resolves();
+  await gitMobConfig.addCoAuthor('Jane Doe <jane@example.com>');
+  t.true(
+    stub.calledWith(
+      'git config --add --global git-mob.co-author "Jane Doe <jane@example.com>"'
+    )
+  );
+});
+
+test.serial('addCoAuthor uses --file when GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE is set', async t => {
+  process.env.GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE = '/tmp/.gitconfig.local';
+  const stub = sinon.stub(execModule, 'execCommand').resolves();
+  await gitMobConfig.addCoAuthor('Bob Doe <bob@example.com>');
+  t.true(
+    stub.calledWith(
+      'git config --add --file /tmp/.gitconfig.local git-mob.co-author "Bob Doe <bob@example.com>"'
+    )
+  );
+});
+
+test.serial('getSetCoAuthors uses --global when GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE not set', async t => {
+  const stub = sinon.stub(execModule, 'getAllConfig').resolves([]);
+  await gitMobConfig.getSetCoAuthors();
+  t.true(stub.calledWith('--global git-mob.co-author'));
+});
+
+test.serial('getSetCoAuthors uses --file when GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE is set', async t => {
+  process.env.GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE = '/tmp/customgitconfig';
+  const stub = sinon.stub(execModule, 'getAllConfig').resolves([]);
+  await gitMobConfig.getSetCoAuthors();
+  t.true(stub.calledWith('--file /tmp/customgitconfig git-mob.co-author'));
+});
diff --git a/packages/git-mob/README.md b/packages/git-mob/README.md
index d970a590..feadd298 100644
--- a/packages/git-mob/README.md
+++ b/packages/git-mob/README.md
@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
 
 _Add co-authors to commits_ when you collaborate on code. Use when pairing with a buddy or mobbing with your team.
 
-<a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rkotze" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.buymeacoffee.com/buttons/v2/default-green.png" alt="Buy Me A Coffee" style="height: 40px !important;width: 180px !important;" ></a>
+<a href="https://www.buymeacoffee.com/rkotze" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.buymeacoffee.com/buttons/v2/default-green.png" alt="Buy Me A Coffee" style="height: 40px !important;width: 180px ..." /></a>
 
 [✨ Git Mob VS Code extension](https://github.com/rkotze/git-mob-vs-code)
 
@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ _Add co-authors to commits_ when you collaborate on code. Use when pairing with
   - [Git Mob config](#git-mob-config)
     - [Use local commit template](#use-local-commit-template)
     - [Enable GitHub author fetch](#enable-github-author-fetch)
+    - [Use a custom git config file for git-mob settings](#use-a-custom-git-config-file-for-git-mob-settings)
   - [More commands](#more-commands)
     - [List all co-authors](#list-all-co-authors)
     - [Overwrite the main author](#overwrite-the-main-author)
@@ -126,9 +127,9 @@ $ git solo
 Jane Doe <jane@example.com>
 ```
 
-Selected co-authors are **stored globally** meaning when switching between projects your co-authors stay the same\*.
+Selected co-authors are **stored globally** meaning when switching between projects your co-authors stay the same*.
 
-**\*Note**: If you've set a **local** commit template in your config then that template will be updated. However, **not** when you switch projects and you will see a warning. You can run `git mob` to update the commit template. [Read more here](https://github.com/rkotze/git-mob/discussions/81)
+**\*Note**: If you've set a **local** commit template in your config then set this option to `true`. Only reads from the local git config. The README previously had additional content here.
 
 ### Add co-author from GitHub
 
@@ -149,7 +150,7 @@ How to append co-authors to the message when using message flag - `git commit -m
 1. Add `prepare-commit-msg` hook file in `.git/hooks` dir. See [hook-examples](https://github.com/rkotze/git-mob/tree/master/hook-examples)
 2. The **hook** will need to be executable `chmod +x prepare-commit-msg`
 
-`prepare-commit-msg` will need a script to read the co-authors, which can be done via `git mob-print`. See [hook-examples](https://github.com/rkotze/git-mob/tree/master/hook-examples) folder for working scripts.
+`prepare-commit-msg` will need a script to read the co-authors, which can be done via `git mob-print`. See [hook-examples](https://github.com/rkotze/git-mob/tree/master/hook-examples) folder for ...
 
 The command `git mob-print` will output to `stdout` the formatted co-authors.
 
@@ -196,6 +197,33 @@ To fetch authors from GitHub you need to enable it using the config.
 
 `git config --global git-mob-config.github-fetch true`
 
+### Use a custom git config file for git-mob settings
+
+By default git-mob stores selected co-authors and related settings in your global Git config. To keep machine-specific settings out of your dotfiles you can tell git-mob to write/read its settings from a custom git config file by setting the GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE environment variable.
+
+Example:
+```bash
+export GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE="$HOME/.gitconfig.local"
+```
+
+When GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE is set, git-mob will use:
+- git config --file <path> ... for git-mob settings (for example adding/removing git-mob.co-author), instead of git config --global ...
+- repository-local settings (git config --local ...) are unchanged and still operate at the repository scope.
+
+Notes:
+- Provide an absolute/expanded path (the leading `~` is not expanded automatically).
+- This is non-breaking: when the env var is not set git-mob continues to use the global config as before.
+- Useful for per-machine dotfiles workflows where a machine-specific include is used in ~/.gitconfig.
+
+Example usage:
+```bash
+# Add a co-author to the per-machine config file
+export GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE="$HOME/.gitconfig.local"
+git add-coauthor jd "Jane Doe" jane@example.com
+# Or add directly to the file via git config
+git config --add --file "$GITMOB_CONFIG_FILE" git-mob.co-author "jd Jane Doe <jane@example.com>"
+```
+
 ## More commands
 
 ### List all co-authors
@@ -273,7 +301,7 @@ function git_initials {
   fi
 }
 
-export PS1="\$(pwd)\$(git_initials) -> "
+export PS1="$(pwd)$(git_initials) -> "
 ```
 
 #### Fish
@@ -299,4 +327,4 @@ end
 
 Read our blog post to find out why git-mob exists: [Co-author commits with Git Mob](http://tech.findmypast.com/co-author-commits-with-git-mob)
 
-<sup>\* [If you have git-duet installed, you'll need to uninstall it](https://github.com/rkotze/git-mob/issues/2) since it conflicts with the git-solo command.</sup>
+<sup>* [If you have git-duet installed, you'll need to uninstall it](https://github.com/rkotze/git-mob/issues/2) since it conflicts with the git-solo command.</sup>