Privacy Policy

Budget Bully

Last Updated: 10/16/2024

Welcome to Budget Bully! We're thrilled to help you take control of your finances with a little guidance (or a lot, depending on how much you need). Think of us as your financial sidekick, keeping an eye on your spending and nudging you when things get off track. We’re all about helping you stay on budget, cheering when you’re saving, and gently (or not-so-gently) reminding you when that shopping spree might be a bit too much for your wallet. Together, we can keep your finances in check, make money management less stressful, and help you reach your financial goals.

The following outlines our Privacy Policy. By using our Services, you’re trusting us with your data, and we take that responsibility seriously. Keep an eye out for updates here and there, as the "Last Updated" section will tell you when changes have been made. We might even give you a heads-up via app notifications or email. Let’s dive into how we protect your privacy!

1. Information We Collect

When you use our app, we may collect the following types of personal information:

Personal Details: Your first and last name, email address, and username.
Financial Info: Details about your financial institutions including account names and balances, transaction history associated with each account (transaction amounts, dates, categories, and merchant details), and last 4 of your account number.
Geographical Location: We may use location services to personalize your experience (with your permission, of course).
Usage Data: Information about how you interact with our app, like general usage data, keystrokes, and interactions (all for improving your experience).
Cookies and Tracking: We collect information through cookies and other tracking technologies (more on that later).
Geolocation: transaction locations (latitude/longitude).
Device and network information: related to API interactions.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use your data for a few key purposes:

Providing Services: To help you manage your budget, track your spending, and offer personalized insights.
Improving the App: By looking at general usage trends, we can tweak and improve features to better suit your needs.
Communications: We may send you updates, notifications, or tips based on your activity (you can opt out at any time).
Security: Your data helps us keep your account secure and prevents unauthorized access.

3. Sharing Information with Third Parties

We don’t share your personal data without a good reason. We may share information with:

Service Providers: Third-party services that help us run the app smoothly (e.g., cloud storage or email providers).
Affiliated Financial Institutions: With your consent, we may share account information with third parties that you’re affiliated with, to better integrate services.
Legal Obligations: If required by law or to protect our app, we may need to share some of your data.

4. Privacy Policies of Third Parties

By using our services, you acknowledge and agree that your personal information may be shared with third-party service providers, partners, (collectively “Third Parties”), or affiliates that are essential to the operation of our business. How these Third Parties handle, share, and protect your privacy is governed by their individual privacy policies. You expressly consent to be bound by the privacy policies of these third parties, and your interactions with them are subject to their respective terms. We recommend that you review these privacy policies to understand how your personal data is handled. We assume no responsibility for the privacy practices of these third-party services.

Affiliated Third Parties: Below is a list of third parties affiliated with Budget Bully whose privacy policies you agree to be bound by:

Clerk – https://clerk.com/legal/privacy
Plaid – https://plaid.com/legal/#consumers

5. Cookies and Tracking Technologies

Our app uses cookies (small data files) and similar technologies to:

Remember Your Preferences: Keep you logged in and save your settings.
Improve Your Experience: Understand how you use the app and how we can make it better.
Track Performance: Help us analyze what’s working and what’s not.

You can manage your cookie preferences directly in your browser settings or in-app settings.

6. Child Protection

Our app is not intended for users under the age of 16. If we find out we’ve collected information from a minor without proper consent, we’ll delete it immediately. If you believe we have, please contact us at support@budget-bully.com.

7. Our Lawful Bases for Processing (EEA and UK End Users)

For individuals in the European Economic Area ("EEA") or the United Kingdom ("UK"), we only process your personal data when we have a valid legal reason to do so. The legal basis for processing your data depends on the type of data collected and the reason we're processing it. In general, we will only collect and use your data when:

We have a contract or agreement with you: For example, we process your data to comply with our user agreements and legal requirements when offering our budgeting services.
We need your data to meet legal obligations: This could be to protect our legal rights or to prevent and identify illegal activities like fraud. In some cases, we may need to share your data with authorities like courts or law enforcement agencies if required by law.
Processing is necessary for our legitimate business interests: This might include maintaining the functionality of our services, communicating with you, or ensuring we meet the regulatory standards expected of us.
You have given us consent: In cases where you provide consent, you have the right to withdraw it at any time, following the instructions outlined in this Policy.

Your privacy is important to us, and we make sure to handle your data responsibly and in compliance with the law.

8. Our Retention and Deletion Practices

We only keep your data for as long as it's necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or to meet legal obligations. To determine whether your data is still needed, we periodically review it to ensure it serves its intended purpose or complies with any legal requirements. When your data is no longer necessary, we will delete it, with a few exceptions.

Exceptions to this may include situations where: (a) You are still using the app and need your data for its services. (b) We are legally required to retain your data. (c) We need the data to prevent fraud, ensure security, offer support, or investigate potential misuse. (d) We have anonymized your data, making it impossible to identify you personally. (e) You have explicitly agreed to allow us to retain your data for a longer period.

Your data will always be processed in compliance with this Privacy Policy and applicable legal requirements.

To learn about your rights regarding your data, including how to request its deletion, please refer to the "Your Data Protection Rights" section. If you have any questions or need help managing your data, feel free to reach out using the contact details provided in the “Contact Us” section of this Policy.

7. Your Rights Under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)

If you’re a California resident, you have specific rights regarding your personal information:

Right to Know: You can request a report on what personal data we’ve collected about you over the past 12 months.
Right to Delete: You can ask us to delete your personal data.
Right to Opt-Out: You can tell us not to sell your personal data (we don’t sell data anyway, but you have this right!).
Non-Discrimination: We won’t treat you any differently for exercising your privacy rights.

To exercise these rights, please contact us at [support email or phone number].

8. Security

We take your security seriously. We use industry-standard encryption and other security measures to protect your information. However, no method of transmission or storage is 100% secure, so we can’t guarantee absolute protection.

9. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this policy from time to time to reflect changes in the law or our services. If we make any big changes, we’ll let you know. Be sure to review this policy periodically for updates.

10. Contact Us

Have questions or concerns about your privacy? Drop us a line at support@budget-bully.com. We're here to help!

Thanks for trusting Budget Bully with your budgeting journey. We're committed to keeping your data safe and your experience smooth.

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