About - Study Money

Welcome!

This website was created to help people with disabilities and their families and advocates learn about managing money.

It all started when we (Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation, or PATF for short) developed a financial education book, Cents and Sensibility, to respond to a need in the disability community. We’ve since learned from our pilot programs that everyone can benefit from this information. It’s important to understand how to manage your money so that your money doesn’t manage you!

This website was created to make this information accessible and available to more people.

You’ll find information about such topics as:

How to develop your own money map;
How you can save money wisely;
Why building good credit is important;
How to protect yourself against identity theft;
How to build a personal financial file; and
Where to find additional financial resources.

A young man holds a sign that says Financial Empowerment is... with a list of handwritten answers. — For Roc, financial empowerment means money management, having his own business and home, being able to make his own decisions, being in control of his own future, and being able to manage his own finances for himself.

The activities in this website provide a step-by-step process to 1) organize your money, and 2) manage your money. Getting a handle on your finances is not something you learn in a couple of hours. The organization step alone may take weeks to learn! But the skills you learn will stay with you for the rest of your life.

We’ve included a review at the end of each topic that will help you see what you have learned and think about how you plan to use your new knowledge.

It is part of our mission at PATF to help people live more independent and satisfying lives. We hope that the information in this website will provide you with the skills you need to be more in charge of your financial future! And, we hope you enjoy your experience.

Susan Tachau
Chief Executive Officer
Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation

Pennsylvania Assistive Technology Foundation (PATF) is a statewide 501(c)(3) non-profit organization with the mission to provide financing opportunities, education, and advocacy for people with disabilities and older Pennsylvanians, helping them to acquire the assistive technology (AT) devices and services that improve the quality of their lives.

AT devices are items that help people with disabilities do the things they want to do: a ramp that makes it possible for a wheelchair user to enter her home; an iPad that helps someone who has difficulty speaking communicate with friends, family members, and teachers; or a hearing aid that makes it possible for a person to participate in conversations. We provide information and assistance about funding resources for AT, no-interest and low-interest loans with no fees for the purchase of AT, and financial education. Learn more about us at www.patf.us.