Disclosure Policy

*This policy was last updated on January 30, 2019.

Let’s be sincere, I wish I could sit in my underwear on my couch, in my bathing suit from a beach overlooking the Caribbean, or in a cafe sipping on Colombian coffee, Aguilas, and/or Cuba Libres writing all day without having to worry about money, but at least for the moment I can’t.  I started this blog as a way to possibly earn a few pesos on the side while sharing my experience in Cartagena and hopefully providing a resource for both visitors and expat residents in the process.  Therefore there are some ways that I can make make money on the site, however I want to be totally transparent in how I may (or may not) succeed in doing so.  This policy is meant to detail how that might happen.  Please note that this policy is subject to change, is part of the Terms and Conditions of Use of the site, and was last updated on November 10 2018.

Affiliate and Referral Links

Many websites have affiliate programs.  Essentially what this entails is if I put a link on a page to another website selling a product or service, and you go on the buy that service or product or another offered on their website I might receive a commission.  They determine this by using a cookie put in your web browser by clicking my link.  Some of such links may also be referral links, entailing that I  (and in many cases you and I both) receive a set bonus if you buy a product or sign up for a service after visiting the link.  In all cases, Cartagena Explorer does not take responsibility for the quality or delivery of any such good or service provided by third party affiliates.

Also, please note that these links do not cause you to pay anymore than you otherwise would and therefore are truthfully a win-win, providing you with a hopefully useful good or service and a great way to support the continued growth of the site.  Finally, please note that Cartagena Explorer has no control over external links or how third parties manage your data.  You can read more about how cookies may be used on this site and by third parties by reading our Privacy Policy.

I may link to a good or service I have found that may be of use to you as a reader but do no own or have used myself (for example a hotel I have not personally stayed in).  However, I will never say I own or have used a good or service that I have not actually owned or used.  Again, I feel I owe you the upmost honesty and transparency.  So for example, I might say a hotel is in a good location and has great reviews, but I won’t say I’ve stayed there unless I actually have.

In all cases, be a smart consumer and do your own research and price check yourself.  Just because I’ve linked to a great book about Colombian history on Amazon does not mean there aren’t much better books I haven’t read out there or that you cannot find it cheaper somewhere else.

On pages where affiliate or referral links appear, a short statement saying such along with a link to this full policy will appear at the top of the page.

Amazon Affiliate Program

Cartagena Explorer 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 advertising and linking to Amazon.com.

Links to Amazon products or pages may be included as text or advertisements in posts and pages on the site.  As a participant in Amazon’s Associates Program, I can earn commission on qualifying purchases you go on to make on Amazon after clicking one of those links.

Amazon Associates tracks referrals from the site with a cookie for 24 hours.  Consult Amazon’s Privacy Policy here.

Other Affiliate Programs I participate in:

Paid or Sponsored Posts

Having just started the blog, I am unsure if in the future I will do paid or sponsored posts (for example, and article where I was paid to talk about or review a particular product or service).  However, my opinion is not for sale.  If say a restaurant offers me a free meal to review it, I will surely take the free meal, hopefully enjoy it, and then review it fairly.  In building this site, providing trustworthy and honest content that is useful for you, the reader, is of the upmost importance to me.  Any such post will be noted as such at the top of the page along with a link to this full policy.

Advertisements

There may also be advertisements that appear on pages on the site.  There are some ways I can make money off those advertisements.  Some may pay me simply because you saw them, some may pay me if you click them, some may pay me if you click them and then go on to buy something, and if one day this site really takes off maybe somebody will even pay me for just putting them there.  These ads may display information targeted specifically to you based on your past internet browsing (see note on cookies above, and know that yes Big Brother, err Google, is always watching).  Please note that you can stop ads from doing this by opting out of certain services or disabling cookies (again consult our Privacy Policy for more information).  In any case, Cartagena Explorer does not take responsibility for the content of ads or the content or quality of goods or services sold on pages that users reach through ads.

This policy was written in the interest of being transparent and upfront about how the site may make money.  If you have any doubts, concerns, or questions, please contact me.