Cookie Policy: what’s set, and how to turn it off

What each cookie on AffordableThing.com does, who sets it, and how to turn it off.

Last updated 27 September 2026

Essential only, by default

No cookie is required just to read the site.

Analytics, if enabled

Counts visits and shows which pages are used — nothing identifying.

Advertising, via Google

AdSense and its partners may use cookies to show relevant ads.

You can turn it off

Every category here has a real opt-out, linked below.

1The kinds we use

Kind	What it’s for
Essential	Needed for the site to work correctly. No consent required.
Analytics	If enabled, a service such as Google Analytics counts visits and shows which pages are used.
Advertising	Google AdSense and its partners may use cookies to show, measure and protect ads.
Affiliate tracking	Attributes a purchase on AliExpress to a click that started on this site.

Honest note. At the date of this policy, AffordableThing.com does not yet show a cookie-consent banner. Until one is live, analytics and advertising cookies (where those services are active) may be set as soon as a page loads. Analytics and advertising cookies are not strictly necessary, so where the law requires consent for them, we rely on your consent, and you can withdraw it at any time by blocking or deleting cookies in your browser, or through the opt-out links below. We’ll update this page the day a formal consent tool goes live.

3Cookies you may see on this site

These are the cookie families associated with the services this policy names above. Some may not be active yet if the underlying service (for example, analytics) isn’t currently enabled — we’ll keep this list current as that changes.

Analytics

_ga

Set by: Google (Google Analytics), if enabled
Lasts: Up to 2 years (Google’s default)
Where: Cookie on affordablething.com
What it does: Distinguishes one visitor from another so visits can be counted.

Analytics

_ga_*

Set by: Google (Google Analytics), if enabled
Lasts: Up to 2 years (Google’s default)
Where: Cookie on affordablething.com
What it does: Keeps the state of a visit for Google Analytics 4. The name ends with our measurement ID.

Advertising

IDE / test_cookie

Set by: Google (advertising, via AdSense)
Lasts: Set by Google; see Google’s own cookie documentation for current lifespans
Where: Cookie set by Google’s own domains
What it does: Used by Google to measure and serve ads, including based on your visits to this and other sites.

Affiliate tracking

Affiliate click ID

Set by: AliExpress’s affiliate network
Lasts: Set by AliExpress’s affiliate program
Where: Cookie set on click-through to AliExpress
What it does: Lets AliExpress attribute a resulting purchase to AffordableThing so we can be paid a commission.

4Managing or turning off cookies

Your browser. Every major browser lets you block or delete cookies in its settings; check your browser’s own help pages for the exact steps.
Google’s ad settings. Opt out of personalized advertising at adssettings.google.com.
Industry opt-outs. www.aboutads.info/choices, and for EU/EEA visitors, www.youronlinechoices.eu.
Analytics opt-out. If Google Analytics is active, Google offers a browser add-on to opt out across sites that use it.

Blocking cookies won’t stop the site from working, but personalization (like remembering a preference) and our own understanding of site usage will be limited.

5Changes to this policy

We check this list periodically and will update it as the tools we use change. The “Last updated” date above reflects the most recent check.

6Contact us

Questions about cookies on this site? Email hello@affordablething.com, or see our full Privacy Policy.