JP Durand
Founder of NBU · building privacy-first money tools in Montréal
JP is the founder of NBU and has spent years tracking his own finances from raw bank CSV exports: no bank login, no aggregator. He writes about privacy-first budgeting, Canadian credit-card churning, and getting clarity on your money without handing your credentials to a third party.
Articles by JP Durand
September 10, 2026
The Best Personal Finance and Investing Books in Canada
Twelve personal finance and investing books for readers in Canada, sorted by what you want to learn rather than ranked best to worst. Includes three French-language Quebec titles and a weekly column.
September 3, 2026
What's new in NBU, September 2026
Everything that shipped in NBU in September 2026.
August 18, 2026
What's new in NBU, August 2026
Everything that shipped in NBU in August 2026.
August 13, 2026
Is NBU's free plan really free? The community contribution, explained.
Free accounts put 100 Sparks a month into the shared pool that keeps Valerie running and improving, and your monthly review earns all of it back. Nothing is charged before your first import.
August 13, 2026
What Is Credit Card Churning in Canada, and Does It Hurt Your Credit?
Credit card churning is opening a card to earn its welcome bonus, spending what the bonus requires, then moving on. What the words mean, what the Canadian rules are, and who it suits.
July 12, 2026
Will NBU See All My Financial Data?
The first thing people ask about NBU is whether we'll see all their financial data. No. Here's what we store and what stays yours.
June 14, 2026
Best Budgeting App for Canadians That Doesn't Connect to Your Bank
Most budgeting apps ask for your banking password. Here's why that's a problem, what happened to Mint, and how Canadians can budget privately without giving anyone their credentials.
June 14, 2026
Credit Card Churning Tracker for Canada
Credit card churning in Canada is legal and rewarding, but only if you track the right things. Here's how to manage welcome bonuses, cooldowns, and cancellation deadlines without losing track.