Privacy Policy
Thank you for visiting the Budget Express website and reviewing its Privacy Policy (the “Policy”).
By browsing our website or using our systems or services, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Policy and consent to the processing of your data and personal information in accordance with it, where applicable.
This Privacy Policy is composed of the following sections:
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Purpose of the Privacy Policy
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Effective Date
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Methods of Obtaining Consent
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Purpose of Data Collection
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Purpose of Data Processing
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Personal Information Collected
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Processing Methods Used
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Access and Control of Personal Information
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Sharing and Reasons for Sharing Personal Information with Third Parties
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Use of Cookies and Similar Technologies
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Retention of Personal Information
1. Purpose of the Privacy Policy
Respect for privacy and the protection of personal information are essential to us. Through this Policy, we aim to protect personal information in accordance with applicable laws.
To ensure this protection, Budget Express commits to collecting, processing, and sharing information that identifies an individual only when the individual has consented to it, unless such action is permitted or required by law, in which case your consent will not be required.
The purpose of this Policy is to inform users of the reasons and methods by which Budget Express, or any person acting on its behalf, collects and uses their personal information. The Policy is written in clear language to ensure that users provide informed consent.
For the purposes of this Policy, “personal information” means any information about an identifiable individual or information that can be used to identify a person. Whenever possible, we will anonymize, pseudonymize, and/or aggregate such information so that it no longer identifies a specific individual.
2. Effective Date
This Policy applies as of September 22, 2023.
This Policy replaces the Privacy Policy dated January 1, 2017.
3. Methods of Obtaining Consent
We undertake to obtain consent before collecting an individual’s personal information. Consent may be explicit or implicit and may be provided directly by the individual or by their authorized representative.
We prefer to obtain explicit consent, whether verbally, electronically, or in writing. However, implicit consent may reasonably be inferred from a person’s actions or inaction.
For example, providing a name and address to receive a publication, or a name and telephone number to obtain an answer to a question, is considered implicit consent to collect personal information.
To determine the appropriate form of consent, we consider the sensitivity of the personal information involved, the purposes for which it is collected, and the reasonable expectations of a person in a similar situation.
If we wish to use personal information for a new purpose, we will describe the intended use and request consent again.
It is not always possible, particularly in the case of a request from government authorities, to obtain consent to collect, use, or disclose personal information. We commit to never disclose such information except in accordance with this Policy unless required or permitted by law.
4. Purpose of Data Collection
Information is collected in accordance with the purposes described in this Privacy Policy.
Some of the reasons we collect personal information include:
Providing products and services
We collect and process the data necessary to fulfill our mission and contractual obligations.
Improving products and services
Data collected during your interactions with our services may be used to analyze and improve the functioning of our products and services.
Developing new products and services and artificial intelligence
Collected data may be used for research and development to create new products and services for users, including through marketing messages and advertising. Aggregated data may also be processed by artificial intelligence algorithms.
Providing personalized products and services
Analyzing the data generated through your interactions with our services allows us to develop and create products and services tailored to your needs.
Evaluating product and service performance
Data is collected to understand the strengths and weaknesses of our services, for example through surveys, to ensure service quality and support risk management.
Protecting the privacy of our users
Collected data allows us to verify identities and protect the privacy of individuals who communicate with us by telephone, electronically, or otherwise.
Meeting legal obligations
Data may be collected to comply with legal obligations arising from laws, regulations, or international treaties.
5. Personal Information Collected
Budget Express may collect personal information in various forms but only through lawful means and solely for necessary purposes as described in this Policy or when permitted or required by law.
The personal information collected and its sensitivity may vary depending on the context of your interactions with Budget Express. Therefore, we aim to inform you clearly about the nature of the personal information we collect.
All collected personal information is protected. Examples of personal information we may collect include:
Name and Contact Information
First and last name, email address, mailing address, telephone number, and similar contact data.
Identity Credentials
Passwords, password hints, and other security information used to identify you and access your account.
Demographic Data
Information such as age, gender, country, and preferred language.
Payment Data
Information required to process payments, such as payment card numbers and security codes.
Subscription Data
Information relating to subscriptions to products or newsletters.
Images and Audio
Audiovisual data used to ensure user safety during events organized or hosted by Budget Express.
Interaction Data
Information about your use of websites, platforms, and tools created by Budget Express. This includes data you provide directly or data generated automatically, such as error reports.
Examples include:
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Website usage data
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Payment and account history
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Support and troubleshooting data
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Content consumption data
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Search queries and commands
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Text input and handwriting data
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Location data (for example through IP address)
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Other data, including Google Analytics data
6. Purpose of Data Processing
We process personal information for several purposes, including:
Providing Products and Services
Data such as your email and password are used to allow access to the software.
Improving Products and Services
Data may be used to improve services, add new features, and correct technical issues.
Personalization
Some products include personalized features such as recommendations based on your activities, interests, and usage patterns.
Product Development
We use anonymized or pseudonymized data to develop new products and better understand user needs.
Customer Support
Data is used to diagnose and resolve issues, restore access to accounts, and provide technical assistance.
Security and Problem Resolution
Data helps us detect malicious activities, maintain system performance, and ensure compatibility.
Safety
Data may be used to protect our services and users, detect malware, or ensure public safety during events.
Surveys and Promotional Communications
Users may receive surveys or promotional communications and can choose whether to receive them.
Relevant Offers
We analyze information to provide relevant services and recommendations.
Advertising
Data may be used to promote our products on our website or third-party websites.
Business Transactions
Data may be used to process payments and deliver purchased services.
Reporting and Business Operations
Data is used to analyze operations and support decision-making.
Protection of Rights and Property
Data may be used to prevent fraud, enforce agreements, and protect our rights.
Secure Bank Connection via Plaid
Budget Express uses the services of Plaid Inc. (“Plaid”) to allow users to securely connect their bank accounts to the application.
When you choose to connect a financial account to Budget Express, you are redirected to Plaid’s secure interface to authorize access to certain financial information from your financial institution.
Plaid acts as a secure intermediary between Budget Express and your financial institution. Budget Express never has access to your banking credentials (username or password).
Once authorization is granted, Plaid may provide Budget Express with certain information necessary for the application to function, including:
This information is used solely to:
Budget Express does not sell your financial data and does not share it with third parties for commercial purposes.
Plaid’s use of your information is governed by its own Privacy Policy available at:
https://plaid.com/legal/#privacy-policy
By using the bank connection feature, you authorize Budget Express and Plaid to collect and process certain financial account information to provide financial management services.
Financial data obtained through Plaid is used solely for financial management functions such as transaction analysis, expense categorization, and financial reporting.
7. Processing Methods Used
Budget Express places the highest importance on the security of personal information and commits to processing it according to industry standards and solely for the purposes described in this Policy.
However, absolute security cannot be guaranteed due to the inherent risks of Internet transmission. Information transmitted to us is therefore ultimately done at the user's own risk.
8. Access and Control of Personal Information
Budget Express ensures that personal information in its possession is as accurate, current, and complete as necessary for the purposes for which it is used.
You have the right to request access to your personal information and to request corrections if it is inaccurate.
To access or correct your personal information, please contact us using the contact details provided at the end of this Policy.
We may verify your identity before granting access.
There may be circumstances where we cannot provide access, such as when disclosure would reveal personal information about another person or when legal restrictions apply.
If your request concerns information appearing on third-party platforms, please contact those platforms directly.
9. Sharing Personal Information with Third Parties
We do not share personal information with organizations or individuals outside Budget Express except with authorized partners and service providers who require access to the information for the purposes described in this Policy.
Examples include:
We only use reputable providers with strong privacy practices such as AWS, Zoho One, Stripe, and similar services.
Budget Express does not sell or rent personal information to third parties.
10. Cookies and Similar Technologies
Budget Express may use cookies, web beacons, invisible pixels, log files, and similar technologies to collect certain information about visitors to our website and recipients of newsletters and communications.
Cookies are small data files transmitted to your browser when visiting a website that uniquely identify the current connection.
Information collected may include:
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IP address
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browser type
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browser version
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pages visited
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date and time of visit
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time spent on pages
Cookies help enhance the user experience by remembering search history, shopping carts, and session data.
You may configure your browser settings to accept or refuse cookies.
Our website may contain links to third-party websites. This Policy no longer applies once you leave our website.
11. Retention of Personal Information
Budget Express retains personal information for varying periods depending on its nature and usefulness in providing services.
During the retention period, we apply physical and technical safeguards to protect personal data.
Data may be stored in cloud services used by Budget Express, including AWS, Zoho One, Stripe, and other cloud providers.
Personal information may also be stored outside your country if a third-party service provider operates in another jurisdiction.
Once the retention period has expired, personal information is securely destroyed.
Only anonymized statistics or reports may be retained for longer periods.
Additional Information
Policy Changes
We may update this Privacy Policy periodically.
If significant changes occur, we will notify users through prominent notices on our website or via email when appropriate.
Privacy Contact
For any questions, comments, or complaints regarding this Policy, please contact:
Katie Lefebvre
Budget Express
1562 Rue Arthur
Gatineau, Québec
Phone: 418-717-4441
Email: support@budget-express.com
