1. What Are Cookies
Cookies are small text files that are stored on your device when you visit a website. They help websites remember information about your visit, maintain sessions, and understand how you interact with the service.
WatchYour.money uses cookies and similar technologies (localStorage, sessionStorage) to provide, maintain, and improve the application. These technologies are collectively referred to as "cookies" in this policy.
Key Purposes
- Session management: Keeping you logged in and authenticated
- Security: Protecting against fraud and unauthorized access
- Preferences: Remembering your language, currency, and theme choices
- Performance: Tracking feature usage and improving the user experience
- Analytics: Understanding how users interact with the application
2. Essential Cookies (Always Active)
These cookies cannot be disabled as they are required for WatchYour.money to function properly. They are necessary for authentication, security, and basic application functionality.
| Cookie Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| budgit_session | HTTP Cookie | Session authentication token. Identifies the logged-in user and maintains the authenticated session. | Session (cleared on browser close) or 30 days if "Remember Me" selected |
| budgit_csrf | HTTP Cookie | CSRF protection token. Prevents cross-site request forgery attacks on form submissions and API calls. | Session |
| budgit_lang | HTTP Cookie | Language preference. Stores the user's selected interface language (en, ar, fr, de, es). | 1 year |
| budgit_consent | HTTP Cookie | Cookie consent preference. Records the user's cookie consent choices. | 1 year |
| budgit_device_id | localStorage | Device identifier for security. Used to detect new device logins and trigger security alerts. | Persistent until cleared |
3. Functional Cookies (Optional)
These cookies enhance user experience by remembering your preferences and settings. They are not strictly necessary for the application to function, but make it more convenient to use.
| Cookie Name | Type | Purpose | Duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| budgit_theme | localStorage | Theme preference. Stores light/dark/system theme selection. | Persistent until cleared |
| budgit_currency | localStorage | Currency display preference. Stores the user's preferred display currency for multi-currency views. | Persistent until cleared |
| budgit_last_account | localStorage | Last viewed account. Remembers which financial account the user last viewed for quicker navigation. | Persistent until cleared |
| budgit_sidebar | localStorage | Sidebar collapse state. Remembers whether the navigation sidebar is expanded or collapsed. | Persistent until cleared |
| budgit_date_range | sessionStorage | Dashboard date range. Remembers the selected date range filter for the current session. | Session |
| budgit_table_prefs | localStorage | Table display preferences. Remembers column visibility, sort order, and page size for transaction tables. | Persistent until cleared |
4. Analytics Cookies (Optional)
These cookies help us understand how users interact with WatchYour.money. Our analytics are privacy-respecting and do not involve third-party tracking networks.
Privacy Principles
Analytics data is:
- Anonymous: No personal data is collected; visitors are tracked by anonymous identifiers only
- No financial data: We never track transaction data, amounts, or financial information
- No third-party sharing: Analytics data is never shared with advertising networks, data brokers, or external services
- Purpose-limited: Data is used solely to improve features, identify bugs, and understand user behavior
- Respects privacy: No cross-site tracking or fingerprinting beyond device security measures
Analytics Cookies Table
| Cookie Name | Type | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| budgit_analytics | HTTP Cookie | Anonymous usage analytics. Tracks page views and feature usage without identifying individual users. |
| budgit_analytics_opt | localStorage | Analytics opt-in status. Records whether the user has opted into analytics tracking. |
Note: If analytics are not yet implemented, this category is reserved for future use and no analytics cookies are currently set.
5. Cookies We Do NOT Use
WatchYour.money explicitly does not use the following types of tracking technologies:
- Third-party advertising cookies or pixels from advertising networks
- Social media tracking pixels (Facebook Pixel, Google Analytics, TikTok, LinkedIn)
- Retargeting or remarketing cookies for advertising purposes
- Cross-site tracking cookies that follow users across websites
- Fingerprinting technologies beyond the security device identifier
- Cookies that share data with data brokers or information resellers
- Session replay or user recording technologies
6. Managing Your Cookies
You have control over your cookie preferences. Here's how to manage them:
WatchYour.money Cookie Consent Manager
Use the cookie consent banner that appears when you first visit, or access your preferences at any time via Settings > Privacy > Cookie Preferences. You can toggle functional and analytics cookies independently.
Browser-Level Cookie Controls
Most web browsers allow you to manage cookies directly. You can:
- View all cookies stored by WatchYour.money
- Delete specific cookies or all cookies
- Block cookies from specific websites
- Set your browser to warn you before accepting cookies
- Block third-party cookies entirely
Browser-Specific Instructions
See your browser's help documentation:
Google Chrome: chrome://settings/cookies
Mozilla Firefox: Preferences > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data
Apple Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Manage Website Data
Microsoft Edge: Settings > Privacy, search and services > Clear browsing data
- Disabling essential cookies will prevent WatchYour.money from functioning properly. You will not be able to log in or use the application.
- Clearing cookies will log you out and reset all your preferences (language, theme, currency).
- Your account data (transactions, budgets, goals) is never stored in cookies. It is stored securely in our database.
7. Third-Party Cookies
WatchYour.money integrates with third-party services that may set their own cookies during specific flows:
Stripe Payment Widget
When you complete a subscription purchase or PAYG credit transaction, Stripe's payment form may set temporary cookies. These cookies are active only during the checkout process and are not persistent. For Stripe's cookie policy, visit https://stripe.com/en-us/privacy
Plaid Link Widget
When you connect a bank account, Plaid's widget may set temporary cookies during the authentication flow. These cookies are session-only and are not used for tracking across sessions. For Plaid's privacy practices, visit https://plaid.com/legal/#end-user-privacy-policy
WatchYour.money does not control or manage third-party cookies. Users should refer to the respective third-party privacy policies for more information about their data practices.
8. Cookie Consent Banner
On your first visit to WatchYour.money, a cookie consent banner appears at the bottom of the page. Here's what it does:
- The banner presents your cookie options: Accept All, Essential Only, or Customize.
- Essential cookies are always required and cannot be disabled.
- Functional and analytics cookies are optional and require your consent before being activated.
- Your consent choice is stored in the budgit_consent cookie for 1 year.
- You can change your preferences at any time via Settings > Privacy > Cookie Preferences.
- The banner will not appear again until your consent expires or you reset your preferences.
9. Changes to This Policy
WatchYour.money may update this Cookie Policy from time to time.
- Material changes (new types of cookies or purposes) will be communicated via email at least 30 days before taking effect.
- Minor changes (clarifications, formatting) may be made without advance notice.
- The "Last Updated" date below always reflects the most recent revision.
- If you do not agree with changes, you can reset your cookies and withdraw consent.
10. Contact Information
For questions about our cookie practices:
- Privacy inquiries: privacy@watchyour.money
- Support: support@watchyour.money
- Data protection concerns: privacy@watchyour.money
We aim to respond to all inquiries within 5 business days.