diff --git a/i3pystatus/core/util.py b/i3pystatus/core/util.py
index 65af494..aa9b124 100644
--- a/i3pystatus/core/util.py
+++ b/i3pystatus/core/util.py
@@ -362,3 +362,21 @@ def internet():
         return True
     except OSError:
         return False
+
+def make_bar(percentage):
+    """
+    Draws a bar made of unicode box characters.
+
+    :param percentage: A value between 0 and 100
+    :returns: Bar as a string
+    """
+
+    bars = [' ', '▏', '▎', '▍', '▌', '▋', '▋', '▊', '▊', '█']
+    tens = int(percentage / 10)
+    ones = int(percentage) - tens * 10
+    result = tens * '█'
+    if(ones >= 1):
+        result = result + bars[ones]
+    result = result + (10 - len(result)) * ' '
+    return result
+
diff --git a/i3pystatus/cpu_usage_bar.py b/i3pystatus/cpu_usage_bar.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..c40fe22
--- /dev/null
+++ b/i3pystatus/cpu_usage_bar.py
@@ -0,0 +1,60 @@
+# -*- coding:utf-8 -*-
+
+from i3pystatus import IntervalModule
+from i3pystatus.core.util import make_bar
+
+class CpuUsageBar(IntervalModule):
+    """
+    Shows CPU usage as a bar (made with unicode box characters).
+    The first output will be inacurate
+    Linux only
+
+    Available formatters:
+
+    * {usage_bar}
+
+    """
+
+    format = "{usage_bar}"
+    settings = (
+        ("format", "format string"),
+    )
+
+    def init(self):
+        self.prev_idle = 0
+        self.prev_busy = 0
+        self.interval = 1
+
+    def get_usage(self):
+        """
+        parses /proc/stat and calcualtes total and busy time
+        (more specific USER_HZ see man 5 proc for further informations )
+        """
+        with open('/proc/stat', 'r') as file_obj:
+            stats = file_obj.readline().strip().split()
+
+        cpu_timings = [int(x) for x in stats[1:]]
+        cpu_total = sum(cpu_timings)
+        del cpu_timings[3:5]
+        cpu_busy = sum(cpu_timings)
+
+        return cpu_total, cpu_busy
+
+    def run(self):
+        cpu_total, cpu_busy = self.get_usage()
+
+        diff_cpu_total = cpu_total - self.prev_idle
+        diff_cpu_busy = cpu_busy - self.prev_busy
+
+        self.prev_idle = cpu_total
+        self.prev_busy = cpu_busy
+
+        cpu_busy_percentage = diff_cpu_busy / diff_cpu_total * 100
+        cpu_busy_bar = make_bar(cpu_busy_percentage)
+
+        self.output = {
+            "full_text": self.format.format(
+                usage_bar=cpu_busy_bar
+            )
+        }
+
diff --git a/i3pystatus/mem_bar.py b/i3pystatus/mem_bar.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..cd3689b
--- /dev/null
+++ b/i3pystatus/mem_bar.py
@@ -0,0 +1,49 @@
+from i3pystatus import IntervalModule
+from psutil import virtual_memory
+from i3pystatus.core.util import make_bar
+
+
+class MemBar(IntervalModule):
+    """
+    Shows memory load as a bar.
+
+    Available formatters:
+    * {used_mem_bar}
+
+    Requires psutil (from PyPI)
+    """
+
+    format = "{used_mem_bar}"
+    color = "#00FF00"
+    warn_color = "#FFFF00"
+    alert_color = "#FF0000"
+    warn_percentage = 50
+    alert_percentage = 80
+
+    settings = (
+        ("format", "format string used for output."),
+        ("warn_percentage", "minimal percentage for warn state"),
+        ("alert_percentage", "minimal percentage for alert state"),
+        ("color", "standard color"),
+        ("warn_color",
+         "defines the color used wann warn percentage ist exceeded"),
+        ("alert_color",
+         "defines the color used when alert percentage is exceeded"),
+    )
+
+    def run(self):
+        memory_usage = virtual_memory()
+
+        if memory_usage.percent >= self.alert_percentage:
+            color = self.alert_color
+
+        elif memory_usage.percent >= self.warn_percentage:
+            color = self.warn_color
+        else:
+            color = self.color
+
+        self.output = {
+            "full_text": self.format.format(
+                used_mem_bar=make_bar(memory_usage.percent)),
+            "color": color
+        }