Cookie Policy

Welcome to Home Guide's Cookie Policy. This policy explains how we use cookies and similar technologies to recognize you when you visit our website. It explains what these technologies are and why we use them, as well as your rights to control our use of them. This Cookie Policy should be read together with our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

1. What Are Cookies?

Cookies are small data files that are placed on your computer or mobile device when you visit a website. They are widely used by website owners to make their websites work efficiently and provide reporting information. Cookies set by the website owner (in this case, Home Guide) are called "first-party cookies". Cookies set by parties other than the website owner are called "third-party cookies". Third-party cookies enable third-party features or functionality to be provided on or through the website, such as advertising, interactive content, and analytics.

2. Why We Use Cookies

We use cookies for several reasons. Some cookies are required for technical reasons for our website to operate, and we refer to these as "essential" or "strictly necessary" cookies. Other cookies enable us to track and target the interests of our users to enhance the experience on our website. For example, Home Guide uses cookies to keep track of your preferences and to identify popular articles and services. We also use cookies to collect aggregated data about site traffic and site interaction so that we can offer better site experiences and tools in the future.

Our cookies help us:

• Make our website work as you'd expect
• Remember your settings during and between visits
• Improve the speed/security of the site
• Personalize our site to better suit your needs

3. Types of Cookies We Use

Our website uses different types of cookies with varying functions and purposes. Some cookies are necessary for the functionality of the site, while others help us improve performance and your user experience. We categorize cookies into the following types: Strictly Necessary Cookies, Performance Cookies, Functionality Cookies, and Targeting/Advertising Cookies. Each category serves different purposes and collects different types of information to enhance your browsing experience.

Cookie Categories:

• Strictly Necessary: Essential for navigating and using website features
• Performance: Collect information about how you use our site
• Functionality: Allow the website to remember choices you make
• Targeting/Advertising: Used to deliver relevant content and advertisements

4. Specific Cookies We Use

Our website uses various cookies for different purposes across the site. These include session cookies that are temporary and deleted when you close your browser, as well as persistent cookies that remain on your device for a specified period. We also use cookies for analytics purposes to understand how visitors interact with our site, which helps us improve our content and user experience. Additionally, we may use cookies for security purposes to protect our site and your information from unauthorized access or activity.

Examples of cookies on our site:

• _ga, _gid, _gat (Google Analytics cookies for tracking user behavior)
• session_id (Manages user session and authentication)
• cookie_notice_accepted (Records your cookie preferences)
• user_preferences (Stores your site preferences and settings)

5. Third-Party Cookies

In addition to our own cookies, we may also use various third-party cookies to report usage statistics of the website and deliver advertisements on and through the website. These cookies may be placed by our analytics and advertising partners who provide services such as site analytics, interest-based advertising, and social media integration. Third-party cookies function in the same way as our cookies, but they are set by our partners to help them deliver relevant services or to track the effectiveness of their features.

Third parties that may set cookies when you visit our site:

• Google Analytics (for website analytics and performance tracking)
• Google AdSense (for displaying relevant advertisements)
• Facebook/Meta (for social sharing and login functionality)
• YouTube (for video content integration)

6. Cookie Consent and Control

When you first visit our website, we will request your consent to set cookies according to this Cookie Policy. You can choose to accept all cookies, only necessary cookies, or customize your preferences for different types of cookies. You can also change your cookie preferences at any time by clicking on the "Cookie Settings" link in the footer of our website. This gives you full control over what information we collect and how we use it.

Managing your cookie preferences:

• Use our cookie consent banner when first visiting the site
• Access cookie settings via the footer link at any time
• Adjust browser settings to block or delete cookies

7. Browser Controls for Cookies

Most web browsers allow you to control cookies through their settings preferences. You can typically find these settings in the "options" or "preferences" menu of your browser. However, if you limit the ability of websites to set cookies, you may worsen your overall user experience since it will no longer be personalized to you. It may also stop you from saving customized settings like login information.

How to manage cookies in different browsers:

• Chrome: Settings > Privacy and Security > Cookies and other site data
• Firefox: Options > Privacy & Security > Cookies and Site Data
• Safari: Preferences > Privacy > Cookies and website data
• Edge: Settings > Cookies and site permissions > Cookies

8. Impact of Disabling Cookies

While you are free to block any cookies from our site, please be aware that disabling certain cookies will impact your experience on our website and may limit your access to some features. Without strictly necessary cookies, some website functions will not work properly or at all. Disabling performance and functionality cookies may result in reduced site functionality, personalization features, or make the site less user-friendly. We strive to respect your privacy choices while still providing the best possible experience with the cookie settings you select.

9. Data Retention and Cookie Duration

Different cookies remain active for varying periods depending on their function and purpose. Session cookies are temporary and expire when you close your browser, while persistent cookies remain on your device until they reach their expiration date or are manually deleted. Our analytics cookies typically have a lifespan of up to 2 years to allow for long-term trend analysis, while functionality cookies generally expire after 1 year or when you change your preferences. You can view and delete persistent cookies stored on your device at any time through your browser settings.

Typical cookie durations:

• Session cookies: Expire when you close your browser
• Preference cookies: 1 year from last visit
• Analytics cookies: Up to 2 years (for trend analysis)
• Marketing cookies: 30-90 days (varies by campaign)

10. Updates to This Cookie Policy

We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time to reflect changes in technology, regulation, or our business practices. Any changes will become effective when we post the revised Cookie Policy on our website, and we will indicate the last updated date at the top of the policy. We encourage you to review this Cookie Policy periodically to stay informed about our use of cookies and related technologies. Your continued use of our website after changes to this policy constitutes your acceptance of the updated terms.

How we notify you of changes:

• Notice banner on our website for significant changes
• Updated "Last modified" date at the top of this policy
• Email notification for registered users (for major updates)