FAQ
So, who are you guys anyway?
Bundle is a small New York based company focused on helping people save and spend better. We've got a dedicated team of journalists, former bankers, economists, financial advisors and technologists who all believe in the Bundle mission.
Who owns Bundle?
Bundle's investors are Citi, Microsoft and Morningstar. Their representatives serve on our board of directors.
You feature a lot of data on Bundle. Where does it come from?
With a team of experienced statisticians and data junkies, we've compiled, tagged
and sorted data from a (still-expanding) collection of sources. Our data comes from
the U.S. government, from anonymous and aggregated spending transactions from Citi,
and from third party data providers. We are always looking for new data sources that
could benefit people. If you know of any that our users may find helpful, feel free
to share them on our site or send the data source to
data@bundle.com.
We're proud to make all of this information available to anyone who visits the site. It's a fundamental part of the Bundle philosophy that people can become more aware of their everyday spending and saving choices. And it's our way of leveling the playing field for people: companies have been paying millions of dollars for this kind of data for years in order to get you to buy more stuff. Now you can see it, too, and it won't cost you anything.
We're proud to make all of this information available to anyone who visits the site. It's a fundamental part of the Bundle philosophy that people can become more aware of their everyday spending and saving choices. And it's our way of leveling the playing field for people: companies have been paying millions of dollars for this kind of data for years in order to get you to buy more stuff. Now you can see it, too, and it won't cost you anything.
Can I transfer my account data from MSN Money?
Bundle has recently entered a partnership with MSN, but because we are an independent company, managed and operated separately from MSN, your MSN Money account data cannot be transferred to your Bundle account at this time.
How often is the data updated?
Our spending data is updated every quarter so people can see the effects of seasonality on spending. We would like to hear from you if you find this frequency valuable so we can adjust accordingly. Please email us at editors@bundle.com.
I think I found a mistake in the Everybody's Money data. Who can I contact to report a number or an insight that doesn't make sense?
We strive to make sure everything on our site is accurate, but given the amount of data we are dealing with, there will be mistakes. We rely on our users, who know best about their neighborhood, to spot errors and highlight them to us. If you see an instance of data, or user-generated content, that is inaccurate or unclear, please flag the item or contact us directly at data@bundle.com.
Some categories don't have as much spending information as others. Why is that?
We're striving to offer as thorough and complete a picture as possible. But in some sections, there just isn't enough information yet to offer proper context to users. We plan to continue adding to these offerings over time.
How do I post a comment on Everybody's Money?
Want to say something to the community? Click on the Comment on This button inside Everybody's Money, write a title and comment and click to post it. You can also comment on the posts of other users or Bundle articles at the bottom of each story. Currently, you'll need to use your Facebook credentials to post.
Is Bundle Secure?
The security of your financial information is critically important to Bundle. That's why we've built our site and its infrastructure to adhere to the high standards used by banks and other financial institutions. This has been an integral part of Bundle's design since the beginning, and it extends not only to the way we store your data, but also to the way we transmit it, what information we collect, and even to the employees we hire. Click here to read more about our practices.
How does Bundle protect my information?
Bundle takes various measures to protect your information. These include encrypting sensitive financial information when sending it to your browser, housing our servers in a secure data center and employing bank-level standards for physical and network security. Read more about our security practices here.
Can Bundle employees see my financial information?
Bundle does not store the user names or passwords to your accounts. Bundle employees do not have general access to users' personal financial data. In rare cases when it is necessary to access the Bundle system to this degree, it is controlled to a very small group of employees and all access attempts are logged and monitored. In addition, Bundle conducts criminal background checks on all employees.
Why does Bundle need my bank user names and passwords?
Bundle uses your online banking user name and passwords to establish a secure connection with your financial institution. This allows Bundle to download your balances and transactions and show your financial information from various institutions. This information is always encrypted when stored or transmitted, and Bundle employees are not able to access these credentials.
Does Bundle share my information with third parties?
Bundle does not share your personal financial information with other companies for direct marketing purposes. We sometimes will share information from groups of users combined together and cleansed of personal information with select vendors or partners in order to run or enhance parts of our service.
Why does Bundle ask for my age, income and household status?
Bundle asks for this optional information in order to provide you with the most relevant peer comparisons, content and information, as well as offers that we think will appeal to you. We don't share this information about you, nor is it published on the site.
You've suggested a budget for me, but where do those numbers come from?
Bundle's default budget is a suggestion based on questions you answered during budget setup. We use Bundle's spending data to show median monthly numbers for your peer group (based on your demographic, location and scaled to your income) and broken down by specific categories. If you are tracking your spending on Bundle, we also show an average of your past spending in these categories. These are merely starting points – your own situation may differ.
How do you calculate my budget based on my gross income? Do I need to calculate taxes?
Bundle's budget bencharks are suggestions created using our Everybody's Money data. This data accounts for a person's spending based on gross income, so taxes would be taken into account in these spending scenarios. But there are often many other factors to consider, and your own spending habits may need to be lower (or higher) than those of the benchmarks
What is Bundle MoneyShuffle?
Ever go over budget on, say, groceries — leaving you with big flashing red alert that makes you throw up your hands and give up on budgeting altogether? Yeah, us too. We decided to fix that: Bundle Moneyshuffle, featured in our Budgets section, lets you "fix" budget slip-ups throughout the month by dragging money from one category to another. So next time you're $15 over on groceries, you can always temporarily take some money from restaurants to cover your bases. We think this feature will make it easier to stay on track.
Does Bundle Support non-US financial accounts in My Money?
Currently, Bundle Only supports US financial accounts, and currency in US dollars in the My Money tool.
Do you share my personal information with Facebook?
No. Bundle does not share your personal information with Facebook. We do use Facebook to allow you to identify yourself on, and to share comments and posts.
I've changed my email address, but I don't see how to change it on the site.
Please submit a request using the Report an Issue form in Support. We will follow up with instructions on how to switch your email.
How do I track my stock portfolio?
Bundle does not currently offer the functionality to track your personal stock portfolio, but this and other features are being considered for future upgrades. Please check back for updates, and feel free to contact us at support@bundle.com with any questions or suggestions on future enhancements.
How can I advertise with Bundle?
Interested in reaching affluent, savvy consumers who are serious about their money?
You’re at the right place! Our users come to Bundle to find the best places to spend
their money. Please email us at ads@bundle.com if
you have any questions or need more information about our audience.
Ready to place an order? Bundle is represented by the Microsoft media sales team. Please reach out to your MSA rep directly, or click here to fill out a short form if you are not already working with MSA.
Ready to place an order? Bundle is represented by the Microsoft media sales team. Please reach out to your MSA rep directly, or click here to fill out a short form if you are not already working with MSA.
I'd like to work for you. Are you hiring?
Feel free to email us your resume at jobs@bundle.com. We're always looking for smart people who are passionate about money management and ready to change the world.
Can I send you a suggestion for other data that you should include?
Drop a note to data@bundle.com and let us know what you'd like to see. We are always on the hunt for new data that can shed light on how spending and saving affect our daily lives and long-term goals.
How can I deactivate my account?
To deactivate your Bundle account, please follow these steps:
1. Login to Bundle with your email address and password
2. Go to 'Settings' in the top-right hand menu of the page
3. At the bottom of the 'Settings' page, you'll see the 'Deactivate Your Account' section where you can select to 'Delete Your Bundle Account'
* Please note that there are two options available to you:
a. Delete ONLY my financial accounts, but maintain the ability to comment and contribute on Bundle
b. Delete my entire Bundle account
Should you have any other questions, or if you encounter any problems, please feel free to contact us at support@bundle.com.
1. Login to Bundle with your email address and password
2. Go to 'Settings' in the top-right hand menu of the page
3. At the bottom of the 'Settings' page, you'll see the 'Deactivate Your Account' section where you can select to 'Delete Your Bundle Account'
* Please note that there are two options available to you:
a. Delete ONLY my financial accounts, but maintain the ability to comment and contribute on Bundle
b. Delete my entire Bundle account
Should you have any other questions, or if you encounter any problems, please feel free to contact us at support@bundle.com.
How is Bundle different from other websites that provide information on merchants in my area?
Other websites focus on user reviews and ratings, which are valuable, but users are almost always biased in some way. The information we provide is based on real customer spending data, which means that we can determine how much customers really go back to a certain restaurant or shop and how much they really spend, as opposed to what they self-report in a review.
For which cities does Bundle provide merchant comparisons and information? When will my city be available?
We are initially launching this product in New York City. We will be rolling out coverage in other cities very shortly, starting with San Francisco. Want to see your city featured? Email us at support@bundle.com or let us know on Twitter or Facebook.
Why are you asking for my information?
Entering your information is optional, but we ask for it because knowing more about your demographic helps us to give you recommendations more tailored to you. For instance, a 55 year-old male with 2 kids and a 25 year-old single female might have different tastes in restaurants.
What is a "Loyalty Score"? How is it calculated?
Our Loyalty Score is designed to help you figure out which merchants have devoted customers, because that can be a good way to determine reliability. The scores are based on multiple factors, including how frequently customers return, and how much of the money they spend in that category is spent at that merchant.
What does "Price Range" mean?
Price range is a calculation we do to tell you how much customers spend on an average visit to a given merchant. The dollar signs represent how much customers tend to actually spend when they visit, instead of typical costs per item. Low prices per item don't always help if you blow your budget buying tons of them! On each merchant profile page you can also find an actual average cost in dollars as opposed to a scale, e.g. $20-30 per visit.
How are merchant rankings calculated?
Merchant rankings are calculated based on the Loyalty Scores of the merchants, within a specific merchant category and location.
How can I see more detailed data about a merchant?
If you're looking at the map view, just click the name of the merchant and you'll be taken to a page with more detailed information. In the future, we plan to make even deeper data on customer spending behavior at merchants available to our users. If you're interested, we'll be happy to notify you when this is available – just send a note to support@bundle.com.
Why can't I find the merchant I'm searching for?
We're aiming to list every merchant in the areas we cover, but unfortunately there are some merchants whose data isn't available to us. Is there one you want to see that we're missing? Let us know via email - support@bundle.com - or drop us a line on Twitter or Facebook, and we'll see what we can do.
I found incorrect information on a merchant profile page. How do I update it?
Thanks for your help! Please let us know about the error by clicking the "report an error" link on the merchant's profile page. You could also send a note to support@bundle.com.
I'm having a problem with something not answered in the questions above. What do I do?
Sorry to hear that. You can email support@bundle.com and we'll get things sorted out.
I'm interested in partnering with Bundle, getting more specific data on a certain area or industry, or writing about Bundle. Who do I contact?
Excellent! Email support@bundle.com and we'll get back to you ASAP.
Do you guys have an API?
Not currently, but we are in the process of building one. Want to be notified when it's done? Send a note to support@bundle.com.
Do you guys have an app I can use on my iPhone/Android/Blackberry?
Not currently, but we hope to soon. Want to be notified when it's done? Send a note to support@bundle.com.
I'm a business owner. Are there other ways that I can use your data?
We're always looking for new ways to work with merchants. Send an email to support@bundle.com and we'll get back to you ASAP.
