diff --git a/src/app/components/expense/expense-form/expense-form.component.ts b/src/app/components/expense/expense-form/expense-form.component.ts
index ceca49c..677275c 100644
--- a/src/app/components/expense/expense-form/expense-form.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/components/expense/expense-form/expense-form.component.ts
@@ -48,13 +48,18 @@ export class ExpenseFormComponent implements OnInit {
               private readonly merchantService: MerchantService,
               private readonly tagService: TagService) {
     effect(() => {
+      const form = this.form().value();
       const valid = this.formValid();
       const dirty = this.formDirty();
-      const value = this.form().value();
+      const value = {
+        ...form,
+        merchant: Boolean(form.merchant) ? form.merchant : null,
+        note: Boolean(form.note) ? form.note : null
+      };
 
       this.valid.emit(valid);
       this.dirty.emit(dirty);
-      this.value.emit(value);
+      this.value.emit(value as ExpenseForm);
       this.lastDate.set(value.date);
     });
   }
@@ -98,8 +103,8 @@ export class ExpenseFormComponent implements OnInit {
         date: new Date(year, month, day),
         cents: expense.cents,
         category: expense.category,
-        merchant: expense.merchant ?? {},
-        note: expense.note ?? '',
+        merchant: expense.merchant ?? null,
+        note: expense.note,
         tags: expense.tags ?? []
       } as ExpenseForm;
     }
diff --git a/src/app/components/expense/expense.component.ts b/src/app/components/expense/expense.component.ts
index 51cbdda..228b0db 100644
--- a/src/app/components/expense/expense.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/components/expense/expense.component.ts
@@ -38,10 +38,10 @@ export class ExpenseComponent {
     const postExpense: CreateExpense = {
       date: this.dateToPlainDate(form.date),
       cents: form.cents,
-      categoryId: form.category.id,
-      note: !!form.note ? form.note : undefined,
-      merchantId: !!form.merchant ? form.merchant.id : undefined,
-      tagIds: form.tags.map(tag => tag.id)
+      category: form.category,
+      merchant: form.merchant,
+      note: form.note,
+      tags: form.tags
     };
     this.savingExpense.set(true);
     const snackId = this.snackBar.staticBar('Tracking new expense...');
@@ -70,10 +70,10 @@ export class ExpenseComponent {
       id: this.expense()!.id,
       date: this.dateToPlainDate(form.date),
       cents: form.cents,
-      categoryId: form.category.id,
-      note: !!form.note ? form.note : undefined,
-      merchantId: !!form.merchant ? form.merchant.id : undefined,
-      tagIds: form.tags.map(tag => tag.id)
+      category: form.category,
+      merchant: form.merchant,
+      note: form.note,
+      tags: form.tags
     };
     this.savingExpense.set(true);
     const snackId = this.snackBar.staticBar('Updating expense...');
diff --git a/src/app/components/metadata/categories/categories.component.html b/src/app/components/metadata/categories/categories.component.html
index 9534c08..366e582 100644
--- a/src/app/components/metadata/categories/categories.component.html
+++ b/src/app/components/metadata/categories/categories.component.html
@@ -1,17 +1,44 @@
 <div class="categories-container">
   <div class="category-list-header">
     <p>Categories</p>
+
+    <mat-form-field appearance="outline">
+      <mat-label>New Category</mat-label>
+      <input type="text" matInput [(ngModel)]="newCategory" [ngModelOptions]="{ standalone: true }">
+      @if (!!newCategory()) {
+        <button matSuffix matIconButton (click)="addClick()">
+          <mat-icon>add</mat-icon>
+        </button>
+      }
+    </mat-form-field>
+
     <app-divider />
   </div>
 
   <div class="category-list">
-    @for (category of categories(); track category.id) {
-      <div>{{ category.name }}</div>
-    }
-    @if (!categories().length) {
-      <div class="category-list-empty">
-        No categories to display
-      </div>
-    }
+<!--    <mat-list>-->
+<!--      <mat-list-item>-->
+<!--        <div class="category-item">-->
+<!--          <mat-form-field appearance="outline">-->
+<!--            <mat-label>New Category</mat-label>-->
+<!--            <input type="text" matInput [(ngModel)]="newCategory">-->
+<!--            <button matSuffix matIconButton (click)="addClick()">-->
+<!--              <mat-icon>shopping_cart</mat-icon>-->
+<!--            </button>-->
+<!--          </mat-form-field>-->
+<!--        </div>-->
+<!--      </mat-list-item>-->
+      @for (category of categories(); track category.id) {
+<!--        <mat-list-item>-->
+          {{ category.name }}
+<!--        </mat-list-item>-->
+      }
+      @if (!categories().length) {
+<!--        <mat-list-item>No categories to display</mat-list-item>-->
+<!--        <div class="category-list-empty">-->
+<!--          No categories to display-->
+<!--        </div>-->
+      }
+<!--    </mat-list>-->
   </div>
 </div>
diff --git a/src/app/components/metadata/categories/categories.component.scss b/src/app/components/metadata/categories/categories.component.scss
index 85a72d5..2e129f2 100644
--- a/src/app/components/metadata/categories/categories.component.scss
+++ b/src/app/components/metadata/categories/categories.component.scss
@@ -21,8 +21,20 @@
   }
 }
 
-.category-list {
-  display: grid;
-  gap: 1rem;
-  justify-content: center;
+//.add-category {
+//  display: flex;
+//  align-items: baseline;
+//  gap: 0.5rem;
+//}
+
+//.category-list {
+//  display: grid;
+//  gap: 1rem;
+//  justify-content: center;
+//}
+.category-item {
+  padding: 1rem;
+}
+mat-form-field {
+  width: 400px;
 }
diff --git a/src/app/components/metadata/categories/categories.component.ts b/src/app/components/metadata/categories/categories.component.ts
index bb052b5..c3eb6e1 100644
--- a/src/app/components/metadata/categories/categories.component.ts
+++ b/src/app/components/metadata/categories/categories.component.ts
@@ -1,11 +1,24 @@
-import { Component, computed } from '@angular/core';
+import {Component, computed, effect, model} from '@angular/core';
 import { CategoryService } from '../../../services/category.service';
 import { DividerComponent } from '../../divider/divider.component';
+import {MatFormField, MatInput, MatLabel} from '@angular/material/input';
+import {FormsModule} from '@angular/forms';
+import {MatList, MatListItem} from '@angular/material/list';
+import {MatIconButton} from '@angular/material/button';
+import {MatIcon} from '@angular/material/icon';
 
 @Component({
   selector: 'app-categories',
   imports: [
-    DividerComponent
+    DividerComponent,
+    MatInput,
+    MatFormField,
+    MatLabel,
+    FormsModule,
+    // MatList,
+    // MatListItem,
+    MatIconButton,
+    MatIcon
   ],
   templateUrl: './categories.component.html',
   styleUrl: './categories.component.scss'
@@ -13,5 +26,15 @@ import { DividerComponent } from '../../divider/divider.component';
 export class CategoriesComponent {
   protected categories = computed(() => this.categoryService.categories());
 
-  public constructor(private readonly categoryService: CategoryService) { }
+  public newCategory = model<string>('');
+
+  public constructor(private readonly categoryService: CategoryService) {
+    effect(() => {
+      console.log(this.newCategory());
+    });
+  }
+
+  public addClick(): void {
+    console.log('add clicked');
+  }
 }
diff --git a/src/app/services/expense.service.ts b/src/app/services/expense.service.ts
index 243c53b..5c20794 100644
--- a/src/app/services/expense.service.ts
+++ b/src/app/services/expense.service.ts
@@ -38,18 +38,18 @@ export interface Expense {
   date: Date;
   cents: number;
   category: Category;
-  note?: string;
   merchant?: Merchant;
+  note?: string;
   tags: Tag[];
 }
 
 export interface CreateExpense {
   date: Temporal.PlainDate;
   cents: number;
-  categoryId: string;
+  category: Category;
+  merchant?: Merchant;
   note?: string;
-  merchantId?: string;
-  tagIds?: string[];
+  tags: Tag[];
 }
 
 export interface UpdateExpense extends CreateExpense {