Cookies on Money Scale
Last updated: May 2, 2026
This notice is published by Money Scale, the operator of moneyscale.app.
We try to use the smallest cookie surface we can get away with. The site itself only uses your browser's local storage for essential things like remembering your theme, your calculator mode, and your Learn progress — none of which leave your device. The only third-party cookies we may load are Google AdSense, and only with your consent.
Categories & legal basis
- Essential cookies and local-storage entries are required to deliver the site you asked for. Under EU/UK ePrivacy rules they are treated as "strictly necessary" and do not require consent.
- Analytics cookies (none active today) would only be set with your consent. We will update this page before turning any analytics on.
- Advertising cookies (Google AdSense — not active today) would only be set with your consent. Where Google Consent Mode v2 applies, all ad and analytics signals default to "denied" until you accept.
What's actually set
| Name | Category | Purpose | Duration | Set by | Legal basis |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| moneyscale.consent.v1 | Essential | Remembers your cookie consent choices so we don't ask you on every page. | 12 months | Money Scale (your browser only) | Strictly necessary — required to honor your privacy choices. |
| moneyscale-theme | Essential | Remembers your light/dark theme preference. | Until you clear it | Money Scale (your browser only) | Strictly necessary — required to deliver the interface you chose. |
| moneyscale.tools.mode | Essential | Remembers whether you prefer the simple or advanced calculator view. | Until you clear it | Money Scale (your browser only) | Strictly necessary — required to deliver the calculator view you chose. |
| moneyscale-learn-progress-v1 | Essential | Saves your Learn module progress and XP locally on your device. | Until you clear it | Money Scale (your browser only) | Strictly necessary — required to deliver the Learn experience you requested. |
| moneyscale.email.signedup | Essential | Notes that you've already signed up for an email download (e.g., Budget Basics PDF) so we don't re-prompt you. | Until you clear it | Money Scale (your browser only) | Strictly necessary — required to honor your prior signup. |
| Google AdSense cookies (e.g., __gads, __gpi, IDE) | Advertising | Set by Google to serve ads, frequency-cap, and (with consent) personalize. Only loaded if AdSense is enabled and you accept advertising cookies. | Up to 13 months (per Google) | Consent — only set after you click Accept (or grant Advertising in preferences). |
Note: Money Scale loads the Google AdSense library so the site can be verified by Google and so ads can render once we have approved ad units. The library itself does not set advertising cookies on its own — it respects Google Consent Mode v2, so advertising cookies are only set after you accept advertising in the cookie banner. While the library is present, no ads are served until the operator has both approval from AdSense and configured ad units.
EEA, UK, and Switzerland
If you visit from the EEA, the UK, or Switzerland, our cookie banner presents "Reject all", "Manage", and "Accept all" as three buttons of equal visual prominence on the first layer. Rejecting is exactly as easy as accepting, and we do not pre-tick any non-essential category. This matches EDPB cookie-banner guidance and the UK ICO's 2024 cookie enforcement expectations.
How to change your mind
- Click Manage cookie preferences above (or in the footer of any page) and toggle whichever category you want.
- Use your browser's settings to clear cookies and local storage for moneyscale.app, then revisit — the consent banner will reappear.
- For advertising, you can also opt out of personalized Google ads at google.com/settings/ads.
- Browsers that send Global Privacy Control (GPC) automatically opt you out of advertising cookies on this site. We honor it for everyone, not just California visitors.