Privacy Policy

Effective Date: April 8, 2026

BudgetMule ("we", "us", "our") is operated from Ontario, Canada. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use and protect it, and your rights as a user. We are committed to being transparent about our data practices and keeping your information safe.

1. Information We Collect

Account Information

When you create a BudgetMule account, we collect:

• Your email address (used for login and account identification)
• Your password (stored securely using salted hashing — we never store your password in plain text)

Financial Information You Provide

BudgetMule allows you to voluntarily upload or enter financial data to power your budgeting experience. This may include:

• Banking and credit card statements (via CSV or Excel upload)
• Transaction descriptions, amounts, and dates
• Account names and balances
• Budget categories and spending limits

We only have access to the data you choose to provide. BudgetMule does not connect directly to your bank or any financial institution.

Technical Information

When you use the platform, we may automatically collect:

• Your IP address (for security and abuse prevention)
• Essential cookies required for login sessions and core functionality

2. What We Do NOT Collect

We want to be clear about what we do not do:

• We do not use advertising trackers or third-party analytics tools
• We do not use tracking pixels, retargeting cookies, or social media trackers
• We do not collect your name, phone number, or physical address
• We do not have access to your bank login credentials
• We do not feed your data into AI models, large language models, or machine learning systems

3. How We Use Your Information

The information we collect is used solely to:

• Provide the core budgeting and transaction tracking features
• Authenticate your identity and secure your account
• Generate spending insights, charts, and reports for your personal use
• Maintain the integrity and security of the platform
• Detect and prevent fraud, abuse, or unauthorized access

4. Data Sharing

We do not sell, rent, trade, or share your personal or financial information with any third parties. Your data is yours alone.

The only circumstance under which we would disclose your information is if required to do so by applicable law, regulation, or valid legal process (such as a court order).

5. Data Security

We take the security of your data seriously and implement reasonable technical and organizational safeguards, including:

• Salted password hashing (your password is never stored in readable form)
• HTTPS encryption for all data transmitted between your browser and our servers
• Regular security reviews of the platform

While we strive to protect your data, no system is 100% secure. We strongly recommend that you use a unique password for BudgetMule and do not reuse passwords from your banking or other sensitive accounts.

6. Data Retention & Deletion

Your data is retained for as long as your account remains active. If you wish to delete your account and all associated data, you can do so at any time by navigating to Settings within your account and requesting deletion.

Upon account deletion, all personal and financial data associated with your account will be permanently removed from our systems. This action is irreversible.

7. Cookies

BudgetMule uses only essential cookies that are strictly necessary for the platform to function. These cookies are used for:

• Maintaining your login session while you use the platform
• Remembering basic preferences for core functionality

We do not use optional, analytics, marketing, or third-party cookies of any kind.

8. Age Restriction

BudgetMule is intended for users aged 13 years or older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a user under 13 has created an account, we will take steps to delete that account and its data promptly.

9. International Users

BudgetMule is hosted and operated from Ontario, Canada. If you are accessing the platform from outside Canada, please be aware that your data will be transferred to and stored in Canada. By using BudgetMule, you consent to this transfer and acknowledge that your data will be governed by Canadian privacy laws.

10. Canadian Privacy Law (PIPEDA)

BudgetMule operates in compliance with the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA), Canada's federal privacy law. Under PIPEDA, you have the right to access, correct, and request deletion of your personal information.

11. Your Rights

As a BudgetMule user, you have the right to:

• Access the personal data we hold about you
• Correct any inaccurate or incomplete information
• Delete your account and all associated data at any time
• Withdraw consent by discontinuing use of the platform

To exercise any of these rights, you can use the in-app Settings page or contact us directly.

12. Data Breach Notification

In the unlikely event of a data breach that affects your personal information, we will notify affected users as soon as reasonably possible and take appropriate steps to mitigate any harm. Where required by law, we will also notify the relevant authorities.

13. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or legal requirements. When we do, we will revise the "Effective Date" at the top of this page. Your continued use of BudgetMule after changes are posted constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

14. Contact Us

If you have any questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or how your data is handled, please contact us at: