Last updated: February 2026
At MoneyPantry, everything we do runs through one simple filter: does this actually help the reader?
That’s it. That’s the whole ethics policy, really.
But I know that “trust us” isn’t good enough, especially on a site that covers money, side hustles, and financial decisions that actually affect your life. So this page breaks down exactly how I operate, what I will and won’t do, and how you can hold me to it.
This page covers the values behind how MoneyPantry works. If you want to see the step-by-step process I use to actually implement those values (how articles get written, fact-checked, and updated), that’s in the Editorial Guidelines.
Nobody Tells Me What to Write
I’m Saeed Darabi, and I have full editorial control over everything published on MoneyPantry. Always have.
No advertiser, affiliate partner, or sponsor gets a say in what I recommend, how I rate a product, or what I write about. If anyone has ever tried to buy their way into a recommendation, I’ve said no. That’s a line I don’t cross.
Sponsored content is something I accept very occasionally (I have only accepted less than 5 in total since I started this site). And when I do, it’s clearly labeled in the post itself, not buried in a footer. If it’s sponsored, you’ll know before you read it.
If an advertiser relationship ever interfered with honest editorial, I’d end the relationship. That’s happened before, and I’d do it again.
How This Site Makes Money (The Honest Version)
MoneyPantry makes money through affiliate links and display advertising. If you click a link to a product or service and sign up, I may earn a commission. It never costs you anything extra. And in some cases, my affiliate links get you a better bonus than going direct.
When an affiliate link offers a better bonus or rate than going direct, I say that explicitly in the article so you know you’re getting the best available deal.
I know that creates a potential conflict of interest.
Here’s how I manage it…
Every recommendation on this site is based on testing, research, or direct experience, not commission size.
In practice, that has meant:
- Turning down partnership requests from cashback apps with poor Trustpilot ratings, even when the commission was higher than alternatives I was already recommending
- Declining sponsored content requests from financial products I wouldn’t personally use
- Removing previously recommended products when their terms changed in ways that hurt users (payout threshold increases, reduced earning rates, added fees)
- Recommending free tools that earn me nothing because they’re genuinely the best option for most readers
I’ve walked away from real money to keep these recommendations honest. I’ll keep doing it.
For the full picture of how MoneyPantry is monetized, read the Advertising Disclosure.
How These Ethics Are Actually Enforced
Saying “we have ethics” is easy. Here’s what it looks like in practice.
Editorial independence: No affiliate partner or advertiser has any input into article content, headlines, recommendations, or ratings. If a partner attempts to influence content, the relationship ends.
Affiliate transparency: Any product I recommend that has an affiliate arrangement is disclosed in the article. Products without affiliate arrangements are evaluated on exactly the same basis as those with them.
Commission doesn’t equal recommendation: There are plenty of products on MoneyPantry that I don’t earn anything from. And there are products I could be earning from that I don’t recommend because they don’t meet my standards (“e.g., unclear payment terms, excessive fees, inconsistent payouts”). See exactly how that vetting works on the Review Process page.
Reader complaints get a real response: If you reach out about a specific recommendation that seems off, I read it personally and take it seriously. I’m not a corporation with a customer service team. It’s just me. That means complaints don’t get lost in a ticket queue. If a complaint reveals that information is wrong or outdated, I either correct the article with a visible note or remove the recommendation entirely.
FTC compliance: My affiliate disclosure practices comply with the Federal Trade Commission’s guidelines on endorsements and testimonials.
Your Privacy
I will never sell your personal information to third parties. Period.
MoneyPantry does use third-party services to operate (including an email provider and analytics tools), and some data is shared with those services to make the site work. But that’s very different from selling your data. The Privacy Policy covers exactly what’s collected, who it’s shared with, and why.
Hold Me to This
These aren’t just words. If you ever feel like MoneyPantry hasn’t lived up to what’s written here (a recommendation that seems financially motivated, a disclosure that seems missing, anything that doesn’t sit right), I want to hear about it.
Email me directly at satrap@moneypantry.com. I read everything.
You can also read more about how MoneyPantry operates on these pages:
- About MoneyPantry — who I am and why I built this site
- Editorial Guidelines — the step-by-step process behind every article
- Advertising Disclosure — exactly how this site makes money
- Review Process — how I test and evaluate products
- FAQ — common questions about MoneyPantry answered
- Contact Page — reach me directly
This page was last reviewed and updated: February 2026. MoneyPantry is operated by Money Pantry Media LLC, Florissant, MO.
