Budget Challenge — Terms of Use

Effective: May 1, 2026

Terms of Use

Welcome to the internet site of Budget Challenge, the financial program that brings everything together to get young people ready to manage their finances. This version of the Terms includes revisions through the Effective date above and replaces and supersedes any prior terms of use applicable to this Site. Please read these Terms carefully so that you understand the conditions for accessing and using the Site and associated services.

We may make changes to these Terms from time to time as our Site develops. Your continued use of the Site and associated services following any posted changes to the Terms constitutes your consent to them, except as modified by the “Public Entity Users” section below. If you do not agree to the Terms, please do not use our Site.

Privacy Policy

By using this Site, you consent to our collection and use of personal information as discussed in our Privacy Policy, which is hereby incorporated into these Terms. A copy of the Privacy Policy is available at https://www.budgetchallenge.com/Privacy.aspx.

Class Rankings

Should we determine, at our sole discretion, that any students on a team have collaborated in playing or that any student(s) on a team have otherwise cheated or violated Budget Challenge rules, that team will be removed from the rankings and shall not be eligible for any contest prizes. Transfers of students into or out of a class are not prohibited per se; however, classes that appear to have gained a class rank advantage resulting from transfers will be reviewed and possibly removed from class rankings at our sole discretion.

Contest Rules

If your class is participating in Budget Challenge through a Contest presented by one of our official sponsors, you consent to the terms of the official Contest Rules, which are hereby incorporated into these Terms. Contest Rules may be published on the sponsor’s website or on ours. The Contest Rules may require the winner to visit the sponsor’s website to claim a prize, where additional information collected by the sponsor is subject to the sponsor’s own privacy policy and terms of use.

Sponsor Prize Eligibility

From time to time, Budget Challenge offers sponsored prizes in connection with contests or successful-completion programs. Participation is optional and requires affirmative opt-in by the student.

Opt-in

A student may opt in to be notified of a prize win by checking a single box on the Budget Challenge dashboard. The opt-in may be withdrawn at any time before the contest ends.

Eligibility and age

Because our Site is restricted to users 14 years of age or older (see “Permitted Use” below), all student winners will be 14 or older. At the point of prize claim, each winner will be asked to self-report whether they are 18 or older or under 18.

Adult winners (18+)

A student winner who is 18 or older may engage with the claim directly, providing an email address to receive claim instructions and a non-personally-identifying winner code.

Minor winners (under 18)

A student winner who is under 18 will not be asked to engage with the claim process directly. Instead, the winner will be asked to provide a parent’s or legal guardian’s email address. The parent or guardian will receive a message from Budget Challenge explaining the prize and requesting the parent’s or guardian’s consent to proceed. The parent’s or guardian’s affirmative response to that email constitutes parental consent for the minor winner to participate in the claim process. By providing a parent’s or guardian’s email address, the minor winner represents that the email address belongs to their parent or legal guardian.

Sponsor-hosted fulfillment

Once the adult winner or the parent/guardian of a minor winner engages with the claim, Budget Challenge issues a winner code. Claiming the prize typically involves visiting a sponsor’s website to create an account or provide information required to receive the prize. Any information collected by the sponsor is subject to the sponsor’s own privacy policy and terms, not Budget Challenge’s. Budget Challenge does not disclose the winner’s identity to the sponsor.

Nature of the contest

Budget Challenge contests are contests of skill (for example, based on completion of the simulation, performance, or judged entry), not games of chance. Nothing in this section creates a sweepstakes or gambling arrangement.

Fairness and integrity

Sponsored prizes are intended to reward authentic individual student achievement and genuine class performance. Budget Challenge reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any student, class, or teacher from prize eligibility where it determines, based on observed patterns and behavioral data, that:

(a) students on a team have collaborated in a way that materially undermines the integrity of the competition;

(b) student behavior across a class is so similar or identical that the strategy appears to have been directed by the teacher, parent, or other adult facilitator rather than chosen individually by students (this concern applies primarily to prizes intended for individual student competition);

(c) class composition has changed in a way that appears to have unfairly improved class rankings; or

(d) any rule or contest-integrity expectation has otherwise been violated.

Determinations under this section do not require proof of intent and are final. Disqualified prizes may, at Budget Challenge’s discretion, be awarded to alternate winners or declared unclaimed.

No tax responsibility by Budget Challenge

Tax reporting for sponsored prizes is the responsibility of the sponsor (where applicable) and the prize winner. Budget Challenge is not a tax issuer for sponsored prizes. Where a prize crosses federal tax-reporting thresholds, the sponsor (or its designated administrator) will collect the necessary tax documentation directly from the winner.

Claim window and forfeiture

Each contest’s Official Rules specify the claim window during which a winner must engage with the prize claim process. Unless otherwise stated in the Official Rules for a specific contest, the default claim window is sixty (60) days from the date of the winner notification. A winner who does not complete the claim process within the applicable claim window forfeits the prize, and neither Budget Challenge nor the sponsor has any further obligation with respect to the prize. Budget Challenge may, at its discretion, offer a forfeited prize to an alternate winner or declare it unclaimed. No claim regarding any prize may be brought more than six (6) months after the applicable claim window closes, after which all such claims are forever barred. This time limitation is in addition to the General Provisions – Statute of Repose clause below.

Class-level and teacher prizes

Some contests may offer prizes to a winning class (typically a cash grant paid to the school for the benefit of the class) or to individual teachers (typically a recognition award). For class and school prizes, the sponsor works with the school’s business office to deliver the prize consistent with the school’s gift-acceptance policies. For teacher prizes, the teacher engages with the sponsor’s claim process directly. Recipients of class and teacher prizes are not required to opt in through the Budget Challenge dashboard; the contest’s Official Rules describe the claim process for these prize types.

Minimum class size for class-level prizes. Class-level prizes (those awarded to a class as a whole, including cash grants to a school for the benefit of the class) are available only to classes with five (5) or more participating students. This requirement applies uniformly to all class types — public, private, charter, and homeschool — and exists to ensure that class-level competition compares units of reasonably similar size. Classes with fewer than five participating students remain eligible for the public leaderboard and for individual student prizes; only class-level prizes are restricted by this minimum.

Permitted Use

This Site and its related services are intended only for use by those who are 14 years of age or older. This Site is intended to provide information and services for your personal use. We grant you a limited, nonexclusive, revocable license to make personal and non-commercial use of the Site. This license does not include the right to modify, reproduce, or resell any of the content of the Site; to bypass any technical measures used to prevent or restrict access to any portion of the Site; to use any data mining, robots, or similar automated data gathering and extraction tools to access the Site; to violate or attempt to violate the security of the Site; or to interfere with or attempt to interfere with the proper working of the Site.

You agree to use this Site only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You acknowledge that your use of this Site is at our sole discretion, and your license to use this Site may be terminated by us at any time. We reserve the right, in our sole discretion, to refuse service to anyone and to block or prevent your future access to and use of this Site.

Your Account

Before you can make use of certain services associated with this Site, you must register on the Site. You agree and warrant that all information you provide to us through this Site, including but not limited to any contact information and other registration information for your account, is truthful and accurate. You further agree to inform us promptly of any changes to your contact information during the time you are participating in Site activities.

You agree to accept responsibility for all activities that occur under your account. You agree not to disclose your account password to others, and you agree to notify us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account. We are neither responsible for nor liable for any loss or other injury you may incur as a result of someone else using your user account, password, or other credentials, either with or without your knowledge.

Additional Requirements for Teachers

In the event that you use a version of Budget Challenge that permits you to provide us with student email addresses, you represent and warrant that you have your school’s permission to do so and that these email addresses do not contain any student’s personally identifiable information. If it is not possible for your students to use non-identifying email addresses, you agree to use only the version of Budget Challenge that does not involve use of student emails.

If you are in a jurisdiction that does not permit you to share your students’ email addresses with us, you agree that you will not do so.

You further agree that if you observe a student account whose username contains personally identifying information (such as a student’s full name), you will notify Budget Challenge promptly so that we can correct the account. This teacher-facing remediation is part of how we keep personally identifying information out of our database.

Trademarks and Copyrights

The trademarks, trade dress, logos, and service marks displayed on this Site are owned by ProperLiving, LLC, and third parties. Nothing contained on this Site may be construed as granting, by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, any right or license to use any trademark.

All content on the Site, including without limitation text, photographs, graphics, layout, and design, is owned by ProperLiving, LLC, or ProperLiving, LLC has been granted permission to use the content. Nothing contained on this Site may be construed as granting, by implication, estoppel, or otherwise, any right or license to use any copyrighted material on the Site. Notwithstanding the foregoing, you may download a single copy of the content on the Site for your personal, noncommercial use, provided all copyright and other proprietary notices are kept intact and provided that you do not modify the content in any manner.

Disclaimer of Warranties; Indemnification

THIS SITE, ITS CONTENT, AND ANY ASSOCIATED SERVICES ARE PROVIDED BY US ON AN “AS IS” OR “AS AVAILABLE” BASIS. WE MAKE NO REPRESENTATIONS OR WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO THE OPERATION OF THIS SITE, TO THE INFORMATION, CONTENT, MATERIALS, OR PRODUCTS INCLUDED IN THIS SITE, OR TO THE FUNCTIONALITY OF ANY SERVICES ASSOCIATED THEREWITH. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMISSIBLE BY APPLICABLE LAW, WE DISCLAIM ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT.

BY USING THE SITE, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT YOUR USE OF THE SITE IS AT YOUR OWN RISK. WE WILL NOT BE LIABLE FOR DAMAGES OF ANY KIND ARISING FROM OR OTHERWISE RELATED TO YOUR USE OF THE SITE, INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, PUNITIVE, AND CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF OR SHOULD HAVE KNOWN OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. YOU AGREE THAT IF YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH THE SITE, YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY IS TO DISCONTINUE USING THE SITE.

CERTAIN STATE LAWS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON IMPLIED WARRANTIES OR THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF CERTAIN DAMAGES. IF THESE LAWS APPLY TO YOU, SOME OR ALL OF THE ABOVE DISCLAIMERS, EXCLUSIONS, OR LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU, AND YOU MAY HAVE ADDITIONAL RIGHTS.

Where and to the extent permitted by law, you agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless ProperLiving, LLC, its agents, distributors, and affiliates, and their officers, directors, and employees, from and against any claims, demands, damages, costs, and expenses, including without limitation reasonable attorney’s fees, arising from or related to your use of the Site, your submission of any content, or your breach of any provision of these Terms or any warranty hereunder.

You agree that all disputes concerning the construction, interpretation, validity, effect, and enforceability of these Official Rules will be governed by the laws of the State of Ohio without regard to conflicts of laws provisions. You agree that exclusive jurisdiction over any legal action arising out of or in connection with Budget Challenge or your use of the Site will be in state or federal courts located in or nearest to Hamilton County, Ohio, and by participating in the Site activities you consent to such jurisdiction and venue and consent to resolve such claims individually and without resort to class action.

Public Entity Users

Controlling provisions. Where a user accesses the Site as a Public Entity, the provisions of this “Public Entity Users” section govern and control. To the extent any other provision of these Terms conflicts with, varies from, or would otherwise apply differently to the Public Entity than the provisions of this section, the provisions of this section supersede and prevail as to that Public Entity, and the conflicting language elsewhere in these Terms is of no force or effect with respect to the Public Entity.

For purposes of this section, a “Public Entity” means any state, county, municipality, township, school district, educational service center, institution of higher education, or other political subdivision of the State of Ohio or any other U.S. state. A user accesses the Site as a Public Entity when the user is acting on behalf of, or with the authority of, a Public Entity — including a teacher or administrator accessing the Site in connection with a Public Entity’s educational program.

Where a Public Entity accesses the Site, and notwithstanding any other provision of these Terms:

(a) No indemnification. The indemnification and hold-harmless obligations set forth in the “Disclaimer of Warranties; Indemnification” section above do not apply to the Public Entity. Each party is responsible for its own acts and omissions.

(b) Changes require affirmative consent. Any material change to these Terms that affects the Public Entity’s rights or obligations will not be effective as to the Public Entity without affirmative written or electronic consent by an authorized representative of the Public Entity. The “continued use” language above does not constitute such consent as to a Public Entity.

(c) Security incident notice. ProperLiving will notify the Public Entity of any confirmed security incident affecting the Public Entity’s users within ten (10) business days of confirmation, and will cooperate reasonably with the Public Entity’s response.

(d) Venue. Any dispute between the parties may be brought in any state or federal court of competent jurisdiction in the State of Ohio, including in the county in which the Public Entity is located, at the Public Entity’s election.

(e) No waiver of statutory rights. Nothing in these Terms is intended to require a Public Entity to waive or limit any protection, right, or defense available to it under applicable Ohio or federal law, including without limitation R.C. 5705.41.

General Provisions

Severability

If any provision of these Terms is held to be invalid or unenforceable by a court of competent jurisdiction, that provision will be enforced to the maximum extent permissible, and the remaining provisions of these Terms will remain in full force and effect.

Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with the Privacy Policy (incorporated above) and any applicable Official Rules for a specific contest, constitute the entire agreement between you and ProperLiving, LLC regarding the Site and supersede all prior agreements and understandings, whether written or oral, on the same subject matter.

Force Majeure

Neither party will be liable for any failure or delay in performance under these Terms caused by events beyond its reasonable control, including without limitation acts of God, natural disasters, war, terrorism, civil disturbance, labor disputes, government actions, epidemics or pandemics, outages of third-party services, or failures of the public internet or telecommunications infrastructure.

Assignment

You may not assign these Terms or any of your rights or obligations hereunder, whether by operation of law or otherwise, without our prior written consent. We may assign these Terms, in whole or in part, at any time and without notice, including in connection with a sale or transfer of our business or assets as described in the Privacy Policy.

No Waiver

No failure or delay by us in exercising any right, power, or privilege under these Terms will operate as a waiver of that right, power, or privilege. No single or partial exercise of any right will preclude further exercise of that right or any other right.

Headings

The section headings used in these Terms are for convenience only and do not affect the interpretation of these Terms.

Statute of Repose

Except as otherwise required by law, any claim or cause of action arising out of or related to your use of the Site or to these Terms must be filed within one (1) year after the claim or cause of action arose, or it will be forever barred. Prize-specific time limitations in the “Sponsor Prize Eligibility” section apply in addition to this general limitation.

Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) Agent

Budget Challenge respects the intellectual property of others. If you believe that content on the Site infringes your copyright, please send a notice under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, 17 U.S.C. § 512, to our designated agent:

[DMCA Agent Name/Title]
ProperLiving, LLC
3874 Paxton Ave., #9115
Cincinnati, Ohio 45209
Email: support@budgetchallenge.com
Telephone: 513-335-0619

Our designated agent is registered with the U.S. Copyright Office at https://dmca.copyright.gov/. Your notice should include all information required under 17 U.S.C. § 512(c)(3).

Contact Us

If you have a question regarding Site policy, please contact us by mail at:

ProperLiving, LLC
3874 Paxton Ave., #9115
Cincinnati, Ohio 45209

or by telephone at: 513-335-0619

or by email at: support@budgetchallenge.com

 

Budget Challenge is a Registered Trademark of ProperLiving, LLC. U.S. Patent Nos. 8,444,418 and 8,740,617.