Do the Django Settings Shuffle.

a_different_way_to_do_settings.py

# You can avoid this shuffle if you do something like this:
#
# You should only use this technique with private projects,
# since your passwords will be in source control for everyone to see.

hostname = os.uname()[1].lower()
if hostname in ['something.dev']:
    # Development settings
elif hostname in ['something_else.com', 'and_another.com']:
    # Staging settings
else:
    # Production settings

dev_settings.py

DEBUG = True
TEMPLATE_DEBUG = True

DATABASE_ENGINE = 'sqlite3'
DATABASE_NAME = 'dev.db'

local_settings.py

# This file on your development machine should have this:
from dev_settings import *

# This file on your production machine should have this:
from production_settings import *

production_settings.py

DEBUG = False
TEMPLATE_DEBUG = False

ADMINS = (
    ('Your Name', 'you@yourdomain.com'),
)

MANAGERS = ADMINS

DATABASE_ENGINE = 'mysql'
DATABASE_NAME = ''
DATABASE_USER = ''
DATABASE_PASSWORD = ''
DATABASE_HOST = 'localhost'
DATABASE_PORT = ''

settings.py

# ...

try:
    from local_settings import *
except ImportError:
    pass