Privacy Policy

This Privacy Policy describes how Festive Budget (Festive Budget Planners Limited) collects, uses, and protects your personal information. We are committed to protecting your privacy and handling your data responsibly. This policy explains what information we gather, how we use it, and the rights you have regarding your data.

Who We Are

We operate a holiday spending planning and gift budget calculator designed to help Ottawa families manage their festive season finances. As the data controller, we are responsible for how your personal information is collected and processed. We take our responsibility seriously and implement safeguards to protect your data at every step.

Information We Collect

We collect information in several ways:

• Information you provide directly, such as your name, email address, and household budget details when using our planning tools
• Usage data about how you interact with our website, including pages visited and features used
• Device information such as browser type, operating system, and IP address
• Cookies and similar tracking technologies that help us understand your preferences
• Contact form submissions when you reach out with questions or feedback

Legal Basis for Processing

We process your personal information based on the following legal grounds:

• Your consent, which you can withdraw at any time
• Performance of our service agreement with you
• Our legitimate interests in improving our service, preventing fraud, and ensuring security
• Compliance with legal obligations imposed by Canadian law

When we rely on legitimate interests, we balance these against your rights and freedoms. We never process sensitive personal data without explicit consent.

How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect to:

• Provide and improve our holiday budget planning tools and services
• Personalize your experience based on your preferences and behavior
• Communicate with you about updates, features, and promotional offers
• Analyze usage patterns to enhance website performance and user experience
• Respond to your inquiries and provide customer support
• Prevent fraud, maintain security, and comply with legal requirements
• Send you relevant content and tips about holiday budget planning

Data Retention

We retain your personal information only as long as necessary to provide our services and fulfill the purposes outlined in this policy. Specific retention periods include:

• Contact form messages and customer inquiries: retained for up to 24 months after your last interaction with us
• Analytics and usage data: retained for up to 12 months to monitor website performance and user trends
• Cookie data: retained according to individual cookie settings, typically up to 12 months
• Server logs: retained for up to 12 months for security and troubleshooting purposes
• Account information: retained while your account is active and for 12 months after closure

Once the retention period expires, we securely delete or anonymize your data. You may request earlier deletion by contacting us.

Your Privacy Rights

You have the following rights regarding your personal information:

• The right to access your data and obtain a copy of what we hold about you
• The right to correct inaccurate or incomplete information
• The right to delete your data (subject to certain legal requirements)
• The right to restrict how we process your information
• The right to data portability, meaning you can request your data in a portable format
• The right to withdraw consent at any time without affecting the lawfulness of prior processing
• The right to opt out of marketing communications

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us using the details provided below. We will respond to your request within 30 days.

Cookies and Tracking Technologies

We use cookies and similar technologies to enhance your browsing experience. These help us remember your preferences, understand how you use our site, and deliver personalized content. Cookies are small text files stored on your device. You can control cookie settings through your browser preferences. Please note that disabling certain cookies may affect the functionality of our website. For detailed information about our cookie usage, please refer to our Cookie Policy.

Supervisory Authority

If you believe we have violated your privacy rights or have concerns about how we process your data, you have the right to lodge a complaint with the appropriate data protection authority in Canada. For Ontario residents, you can contact the Information and Privacy Commissioner of Ontario (IPC). For other provinces, contact your respective provincial privacy commissioner. This right does not prevent you from seeking a remedy through civil courts.

Security of Your Information

We implement industry-standard security measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, disclosure, or destruction. These include encryption, secure servers, and regular security audits. However, no method of transmission over the internet is completely secure. While we strive to protect your data, we cannot guarantee absolute security.

Third-Party Sharing

We do not sell, trade, or rent your personal information to third parties. We may share your data with:

• Service providers who assist us in operating our website and conducting our business, subject to confidentiality agreements
• Law enforcement or government agencies when required by law
• Business partners with your explicit consent for specific purposes

All third parties are required to handle your data securely and use it only for the purposes we specify.

Children's Privacy

Our website is not intended for children under 13 years of age. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If we discover that we have collected data from a child under 13, we will promptly delete it. Parents or guardians who believe we have collected information from their child should contact us immediately.

Updates to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. Any significant changes will be announced on our website. Your continued use of our service constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy. We encourage you to review this page regularly to stay informed about how we protect your information.