Cookie policy

At Moneybarn we realise that many people aren’t familiar with cookies and other similar technologies, so we feel it’s important to shed some light on what they are and how we use them. That way you can make informed decisions about your cookie preferences. Below you’ll find a guide to cookies in general, as well as more detail about the cookies used on the website.

What is a cookie and why are they used?

A cookie is a small piece of computer code that a website transfers to your computer’s hard drive so that it can remember you.

The information in a cookie usually includes the name of the website, their ‘duration’ or ‘lifetime’ (i.e. how long they will remain on your hard drive) and a unique identifier, which is usually a randomly generated number.

Cookies are used by most website operators to recognise visitors when they return, store any visitor preferences and to help find out how to improve the site, all of which is intended to improve your experience.

It’s important to note that cookies can’t be used to identify you personally unless you offer up personal information, i.e. when you complete an application form, as cookies only know what you’ve told them. They are also unable to access any personal information stored on your computer’s hard drive.

Are there different types of cookie?

Yes; different types of cookie include:

Session cookies – temporary cookies that are only stored on your computer for as long as you’re on a particular website. If you close your browser (e.g. Internet Explorer, Google Chrome) and end your ‘session’, the cookie will automatically be deleted.

Session cookies tend to be used to remember things whilst you’re browsing a website. For example, if you’re shopping online, a session cookie will be used to remember that you’ve added something to your ‘shopping basket’ and it will allow the website to keep it there for you.

Persistent cookies – more long-term cookies that remain on your computer after you’ve closed your browser. How long they stay on your computer changes from cookie to cookie, but it’s usually 30 days.

Like session cookies, persistent cookies are also used to remember things from when you’ve been browsing, but because they’re still on your computer after you’ve left a website, they can be used to make sure that when you return what you’re seeing is relevant to you e.g. clothes like those you may have looked at previously or grocery items you may have bought before.

Third-party cookies – cookies that are set by, or whose information is sent back to, a website that is different to the one you’re viewing.

For example, search engines like Google often set cookies so they can know where people go after using their website, but the anonymous, statistical information is collected when you’ve moved onto another website. Alternatively, advertisers often show adverts on sites that aren’t their own and use cookies to find out when people are viewing and clicking on them.

Should I be worried about cookies?

Many people may be worried that website operators using cookies will be able to personally identify them and/or access their private information stored on their computer’s hard drive.

This is not the case; cookies, and certainly those set by Moneybarn, cannot access any information that is stored on your computer’s hard drive. In addition, the only way a cookie could be used to personally identify you is if you choose to offer up personal information i.e. when you complete an application form.

It’s important to note that you should only ever provide your personal information on secure websites that you know you can trust. A quick and easy way to check whether a website is secure is to look out for the padlock symbol. You can be assured that the Moneybarn website is secure.

For the most part, the use of cookies is intended to improve a visitor’s experience of a website, either by remembering personal preferences or collecting anonymous statistics that, when analysed, can be used to improve your experience.