No Creepiness Here: Laughs by Teresa’s Privacy Policy Explained
Last Updated: July 27, 2025
Welcome to Laughs by Teresa!
I’m Teresa, and this site www.laughsbyteresa.com is where I share humor and witty observations. I often focus on personal finance, delivering a good dose of fun.
I’m committed to protecting your privacy, just as carefully as I manage budgets by day. This Privacy Policy explains how Laughs by Teresa (“I,” “me,” or “my”) collects, uses, discloses, and protects your information. It applies when you visit my website, read my posts, or leave comments. It also covers when you subscribe to my updates or interact with me online.
By using my website, you agree to the collection and use of information in accordance with this policy.
1. Information I Collect (and Why)
Just like a good budget, it’s important to know where everything’s coming from and going. Here’s the scoop on data collection:
- Details You Choose to Share:
- Comments: When you leave a comment on a blog post, you’ll typically provide your name (or a chosen pseudonym) and email address. Your chosen name/pseudonym and the content of your comment will be publicly visible on the blog. Your email address is collected to help prevent spam and, if necessary, to contact you regarding your comment; it is not publicly displayed.
- Newsletter/Email Subscriptions: If you subscribe to receive new blog posts or my newsletter, I collect your email address. This is solely to send you updates about new content or occasional special humorous insights. It also includes relevant announcements from Laughs by Teresa.
- Contact Forms/Direct Emails: If you use the contact form or email me directly at laughsbyteresa@outlook.com, I’ll collect your name and email address to respond to your message.
- Other Submissions: If you participate in a survey, contest, or submit a guest post, I will collect the information you provide for that specific purpose.
- Information Collected Automatically (The Behind-the-Scenes Stuff):
- Usage Data: Like most websites, Laughs by Teresa uses tools (primarily Google Analytics) that collect basic, non-personally identifiable information about your visit. This includes your IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, referring pages, which blog posts you viewed, time spent on pages, scrolling behavior, and dates/times of access. This data helps me understand what content resonates, how readers navigate the site, and generally improve your experience. Think of it as knowing which of my jokes land best!
- Cookies and Other Tracking Technologies: My website uses “cookies,” which are small data files stored on your device, and may also use web beacons or pixels. They’re like tiny digital sticky notes that help the website remember things (like if you’ve visited before or your preferences). Cookies are used for:
- Essential Site Functionality: To enable features like commenting systems or remembering if you’ve dismissed a pop-up.
- Analytics and Performance: To track website traffic and performance (e.g., with Google Analytics) to understand how the website is used and how to improve its content and design.
- Advertising & Affiliate Links: My website participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means I may earn a commission on purchases made through my links to retailer sites like Amazon.com. To facilitate these programs and other advertising (e.g., Google AdSense), third-party services, including Amazon and its affiliates, use cookies, web beacons, and other tracking technologies. These technologies help to:
- Track referrals and attribute sales to my affiliate links, allowing me to earn commissions.
- Serve more relevant advertisements to you based on your Browse habits and interests on this and other sites.
2. How Your Information Is Used (No Secret Spy Missions, Promise)
Your information is used for the following purposes:
- To Operate, Maintain, and Improve the Website: To display blog posts from sections like “Frugal Funnies,” “Surviving Spreadsheets,” and “Adventures in Uncertainty,” enable commenting functionality, and ensure the website is running smoothly and engagingly.
- To Communicate With You: To respond to your comments and inquiries (because I love hearing from you!), and to send you newsletters or updates if you’ve subscribed.
- To Analyze and Understand Website Usage: To understand how you interact with the content, so I can keep churning out more of what you love (and less of what makes you yawn). This includes analyzing trends and user behavior (often anonymously or pseudonymously) to help me grow the website and create more relevant humorous content.
- For Security and Fraud Prevention: To protect the security and integrity of the website (e.g., preventing spam comments, detecting malicious activity).
- For Marketing and Advertising: If applicable, to display advertisements that may be relevant to your interests, and to measure the effectiveness of those ads and affiliate partnerships using services provided by Google and its partners, and Amazon.
3. Sharing Your Information (I’m No Gossip)
I don’t sell, trade, or rent your personal information to others. Your data is your own, and I respect that. However, there are a few scenarios where information might be shared:
- Third-Party Service Providers: I rely on trusted third-party services to operate and maintain this website. These services may have access to your information only to perform their specific tasks and are obligated to keep it confidential. They have their own privacy policies, which I encourage you to review. These include:
- Website Hosting: My website hosting provider, Namecheap, ensures the technical operation and availability of the website.
- Analytics: Google Analytics helps me understand website traffic and user behavior.
- Comment Management & Anti-Spam: Services like Akismet (or a similar WordPress plugin) help manage comments and filter out unwanted spam.
- Email Marketing: As Laughs by Teresa grows, I plan to use an email marketing service (e.g., Mailchimp or ConvertKit) to manage my subscriber list and send newsletters.
- Advertising: For future monetization, I plan to utilize advertising services like Google AdSense to serve relevant ads on the website.
- Public Comments: When you post a comment, your chosen name/pseudonym and the content of your comment are publicly visible on the blog.
- Advertising and Analytics Partners: I may share non-personally identifiable usage data (e.g., aggregated traffic data) and data collected via cookies (e.g., IP addresses, browser info) with third-party advertising networks and analytics providers, including Google Analytics, Google AdSense, and Amazon Services LLC and its affiliates. This sharing helps me understand site usage, measure the effectiveness of content and advertising, and deliver relevant advertisements. Amazon and other third parties may use cookies, web beacons, and other technologies to collect or receive information from your website and elsewhere on the internet and use that information to provide measurement services and target ads.
- Legal Requirements: If required by law, court order, or governmental regulation, I may disclose your information. Don’t worry, it usually involves something boring like a spam investigation, not secret government plots.
- Business Transfers: In the event of a merger, acquisition, or sale of all or a portion of my blog’s assets, your information may be transferred to the acquiring entity.
4. Amazon Associates Program Disclosure
Laughs by Teresa is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. When you click on a product link that directs you to Amazon, I may earn a small commission from Amazon, at no extra cost to you. Please note that when you make a purchase through one of my Amazon affiliate links, you are purchasing directly from Amazon or an Amazon seller, not from Laughs by Teresa. Amazon handles all orders, payments, shipping, and customer service for such purchases. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This disclosure is provided in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.
5. Data Retention (Not Hoarders, Just Responsible)
I retain your personal information only for as long as necessary to fulfill the purposes for which it was collected or to comply with legal obligations.
- Comments: Comments remain on the website until I decide to remove them or you request their removal.
- Email Subscribers: Email addresses for newsletter subscribers are retained until you unsubscribe.
- Analytics Data: Data collected via Google Analytics is retained according to Google’s policies (currently, this is typically 26 months for user-level and event-level data, unless otherwise specified by Google or configured differently).
6. Your Data Protection Rights (You’re the Boss of Your Data)
You have important rights concerning your personal data. To exercise any of these rights, please contact me at laughsbyteresa@outlook.com.
- Right to Access: You have the right to request copies of your personal data that I hold.
- Right to Rectification: You have the right to request that I correct any information you believe is inaccurate or complete information you believe is incomplete.
- Right to Erasure (Right to Be Forgotten): You have the right to request that I erase your personal data, under certain conditions (e.g., if it’s no longer necessary for the purpose it was collected).
- Right to Restrict Processing: You have the right to request that I restrict the processing of your personal data, under certain conditions.
- Right to Object to Processing: You have the right to object to my processing of your personal data, under certain conditions (e.g., for direct marketing).
- Right to Data Portability: You have the right to request that I transfer the data that I have collected to another organization, or directly to you, under certain conditions.
- Right to Withdraw Consent: Where I rely on your consent to process your personal data (e.g., for newsletter subscriptions), you have the right to withdraw that consent at any time. This will not affect the lawfulness of processing based on consent before its withdrawal.
- Right to Lodge a Complaint: If you are in the European Economic Area (EEA) or the UK, you can lodge a complaint with a supervisory authority if you believe your data protection rights have been violated. Contact the relevant authority in your country to address any concerns about your personal information.
7. Cookies and Tracking Technologies (More Detail)
As mentioned, I use cookies and similar technologies.
- Managing Cookies: You can control cookies through your web browser settings. Most browsers allow you to refuse all cookies or to indicate when a cookie is being sent. However, disabling cookies might affect some features of the website and may prevent you from fully experiencing all features.
- Third-Party Advertising Opt-Out: You can often opt out of targeted advertising by visiting:
- The Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) opt-out page: optout.networkadvertising.org
- The Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) opt-out page: optout.aboutads.info
- For Google services, you can visit Google’s Ads Settings: adssettings.google.com
- For information on how to opt-out of collection and use of information for ad targeting by Amazon, please visit Amazon’s Advertising Preferences page or other relevant Amazon privacy pages.
8. Children’s Privacy (No Underage Funnies, Please)
Laughs by Teresa is for people 13 and older. I do not knowingly collect personally identifiable information from children under 13. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has shared personal information with me, please contact me immediately at laughsbyteresa@outlook.com. I will promptly remove such information from my records. This ensures compliance with privacy protections for minors.
9. Changes to This Privacy Policy (Because Life is Always Changing)
I may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in my practices, technology, or legal requirements. When I do, I’ll revise the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page. I encourage you to review this policy periodically for any changes.
By continuing to use the website after any modifications, you acknowledge and accept the updated policy. Information I Collect: Email Addresses (for Outreach): If you choose to subscribe to my email list, I’ll collect your email address to send you updates about new blog posts and related content. You’re the one volunteering it—blame your curiosity!
How Your Information is Used:
- Email Addresses: These will be used solely to send you blog updates and info I think you’ll enjoy. I won’t share them with third parties for marketing (my spreadsheets don’t snitch!). You can unsubscribe anytime by clicking the “unsubscribe” link in the emails.
- Advertising: This Blog uses third-party advertising services (e.g., Google AdSense or similar). These services may use cookies, web beacons, and tracking technology to collect information about your visits here and on other sites. This data helps tailor advertisements to your interests.
The info collected by advertisers typically doesn’t include your name or email—just your digital breadcrumbs. I have no direct control over their data collection. I suggest checking their privacy policies to opt-out of tracking if you’d like.
Data Retention:
Ready to break free? You can unsubscribe from our mailing list at any time.
Your Rights:
You can unsubscribe from the email list anytime. If you have questions about your limited personal info, contact me at laughsbyteresa@outlook.com.
Third-Party Websites:
This Blog may link to other sites. I’m not responsible for their privacy practices—think of them as uncharted spreadsheet territories! Please review their policies.
Changes to this Privacy Policy:
I may update this policy occasionally. Changes will be posted here with a new effective date. Keep using the Blog after updates, and you’re agreeing to the new terms—fair warning!
Contact:
Got questions or concerns about this Privacy Policy? Reach me at laughtsbyteresa@outlook.com
Thanks for reading and enjoying Laughs by Teresa!