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Privacy Policy

Updated

Last updated: August 2026

MoneyBalance (“we”, “us”, or “our”) operates the website moneybalance.co.nz. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect information when you visit our site.

Information We Collect

Information you provide voluntarily We collect information you provide when you contact us by email (such as your name and email address). We do not currently operate a newsletter or email signup. We do not require you to create an account or log in.

Calculator usage All calculators on MoneyBalance run entirely within your browser. No calculator inputs — such as salary figures, mortgage amounts, or KiwiSaver balances — are transmitted to or stored by our servers.

Automatically collected information When you visit MoneyBalance, our server and third-party analytics tools may automatically collect certain information, including your IP address, browser type, operating system, referring URL, pages visited, and time spent on pages. This information is used in aggregate to understand how visitors use the site and to improve our content.

Cookies

MoneyBalance uses cookies — small text files stored on your device — for the following purposes:

Analytics cookies We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors find and use MoneyBalance. Google Analytics sets cookies to collect aggregated, anonymised data about page views, session duration, and traffic sources. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking by installing the Google Analytics Opt-out Browser Add-on.

Session recording and heatmap cookies We use Microsoft Clarity to understand how visitors interact with our pages (for example, scrolling and click patterns). Clarity sets cookies and may record anonymised, aggregated session and heatmap data to help us improve page layout and usability. See Microsoft’s Privacy Statement for details on how Clarity data is handled.

On-site personalisation widgets We use Grow (by Mediavine) to power on-site follow and content-recommendation widgets. Grow may set cookies to remember your preferences and measure engagement with these widgets. See Grow’s Privacy Policy for details.

Advertising cookies We use Mediavine, an ad management service, to display advertisements on MoneyBalance. Mediavine and its advertising partners use cookies to serve ads that may be based on your prior visits to this and other websites. We also use Google AdSense. Both Mediavine and Google AdSense and their partners use advertising cookies to serve ads based on your visit to our site and/or other sites on the internet. See Mediavine’s Privacy Policy for details on how Mediavine and its partners handle data.

You can opt out of personalised advertising by visiting Google’s Ad Settings or by visiting aboutads.info.

For more information about how Google uses data when you use our site, see Google’s Privacy & Terms.

Web fonts We use Google Fonts to display text consistently across browsers and devices. Loading a font may cause your browser to connect to Google’s servers, which can receive your IP address. See Google’s Privacy Policy for details.

Disabling cookies You can control and delete cookies through your browser settings. Disabling cookies may affect the functionality of some features on this site. Instructions for managing cookies in common browsers:

How We Use Information

We use the information collected to:

  • Understand how visitors use MoneyBalance and improve our content and page layout
  • Serve relevant advertisements through Mediavine and Google AdSense
  • Respond to enquiries sent to our editorial email address
  • Monitor and address technical issues with the site

We do not sell personal information to third parties. We do not use your information to send unsolicited marketing.

Third-Party Services

MoneyBalance uses the following third-party services that may collect data independently under their own privacy policies:

We may also link to external websites (banks, IRD, Kāinga Ora, etc.). We are not responsible for the privacy practices of those sites and encourage you to review their privacy policies.

Data Retention

We retain email correspondence for up to 12 months. Analytics data is retained according to Google’s standard retention policies (26 months by default) and Microsoft Clarity’s standard retention policy (rolling window, typically less than 12 months). We do not retain calculator inputs as they are never transmitted to our servers.

International Visitors

MoneyBalance is written for a New Zealand audience and operated from New Zealand, but our site is publicly accessible worldwide.

European Economic Area, UK and Switzerland If you are located in the EEA, UK or Switzerland, Google’s advertising and measurement partners may require your consent before setting certain cookies. Where applicable, ads served to visitors in these regions are handled in accordance with Google’s EU User Consent Policy. You can manage or withdraw consent for Google’s use of cookies at any time via Google’s Ad Settings.

California residents (CCPA) If you are a California resident, you may have the right to know what personal information is collected about you and to opt out of the “sale” or “sharing” of personal information as those terms are defined under the California Consumer Privacy Act. You can limit Google’s use of your data for ad personalisation via Google’s Ad Settings.

Your Rights

Under New Zealand’s Privacy Act 2020, you have the right to:

  • Request access to personal information we hold about you
  • Request correction of inaccurate personal information
  • Complain to the Office of the Privacy Commissioner if you believe your privacy rights have been breached

To exercise these rights or make a privacy enquiry, contact us at: editorial@moneybalance.co.nz

Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time. The “Last updated” date at the top of this page will reflect any changes. Continued use of MoneyBalance after changes are posted constitutes acceptance of the updated policy.

Contact

For privacy enquiries: editorial@moneybalance.co.nz

Office of the Privacy Commissioner (NZ): privacy.org.nz | 0800 803 909