This Cookie Policy explains how Simple Budget AU PTY LTD ("Simple Budget", "we", "us", or "our") uses cookies and similar storage technologies on simplebudget.au and our marketing pages (the "Site"). It is incorporated by reference into our Privacy Policy.
1. What cookies are
A cookie is a small text file that a website stores in your browser. We also use related browser-storage technologies — localStorage and sessionStorage — that work the same way for our purposes. Throughout this policy, references to "cookies" cover all of these unless we say otherwise.
Cookies can be first-party (set by the site you are visiting — that's us) or third-party (set by other domains loaded by the site). The Site uses first-party cookies only.
2. Why we use cookies
We use cookies to:
- Keep the Site working — for example, remembering your cookie preferences so we don't ask again on every page load.
- Measure how the Site performs and how visitors interact with it, so we can improve reliability and content.
- Understand the effectiveness of our marketing in aggregate, where you have given permission.
We do not use cookies for behavioural advertising, cross-site tracking, or to build profiles about you for sale.
3. Categories we use
We group cookies into three categories. You can choose which optional categories to allow when you first visit the Site, and you can change your mind at any time from our cookie preferences.
3.1 Necessary
Necessary cookies are required for the Site to function. Without them, things like remembering your consent decision or rate-limiting abusive requests cannot work. These are always on and do not require your consent.
Examples include the cookie that records your cookie preferences and the locally stored client identifier we use to prove the origin of a consent record in our audit log.
3.2 Analytics
Analytics cookies help us measure how the Site is used — which pages are visited, how long visitors stay, what errors occur — so that we can fix issues and improve the product. The data is aggregated and is not used to identify you personally.
We use:
- Umami — a privacy-respecting, cookieless analytics tool that we self-host on our own domain (
analytics.simplebudget.au). It does not use cross-site tracking and is loaded only after you accept analytics. - Microsoft Application Insights — Microsoft's diagnostics SDK, used to capture page-load timing, failed requests, and uncaught errors so we can keep the Site reliable.
These run only if you accept analytics cookies.
3.3 Marketing
Marketing cookies help us measure the effectiveness of campaigns that bring people to the Site. These are off by default. We currently do not deploy any third-party marketing cookies; this category is reserved so that, if we do, you can opt in or out before they are set.
4. Cookie inventory
The cookies and storage entries currently in use are listed in the table on the Cookie policy page. The table is generated from a single source of truth in our codebase and is updated whenever we add or remove a cookie.
5. How to change your preferences
You can review or change your preferences at any time:
- Use the "Cookie preferences" link in the footer to re-open the consent banner.
- Or clear cookies and site data for simplebudget.au in your browser, which will cause us to ask again on your next visit.
Blocking necessary cookies will break parts of the Site (for example, the consent banner will reappear on every visit because we cannot remember your decision).
6. How long we keep these records
Your consent decision is stored for 13 months from the date you make it. After that, we will ask you again, in line with guidance from privacy regulators about refreshing consent at reasonable intervals.
Other cookie lifetimes vary and are listed in the cookie inventory table.
7. Legal basis
Where Australian, EEA, or UK data protection law applies, we rely on:
- Consent for analytics and marketing cookies (you choose to allow them).
- Legitimate interests for necessary cookies that are required to keep the Site secure and functional, where we have determined that those interests are not overridden by your rights.
8. Changes to this policy
We may update this Cookie Policy from time to time. Where the changes are material we will notify you in the Site and, where appropriate, ask you to review your preferences. The "Effective" date at the top of this page reflects the most recent revision.
9. Contact
Questions about this Cookie Policy should be sent to:
Simple Budget AU PTY LTD PO Box 215, Subiaco PO, WA 6904, Australia contact@simplebudget.au