6 Simple Ways to Improve Your Credit

Do you wish your credit score was better? If so, you aren’t alone. According to Experian, the average credit score in Indiana is 699. This puts many Indianan’s in the “good” category. And while this isn’t an awful score, people in the “very good” and “excellent” categories might get better interest rates – saving them money. Credit scores are 3-digit numbers that decide our financial fate; they have power.

Why Visit a Local Family Fun Center?

Dazzling lights, exciting noises, bright colors – isn’t the fair magical? Unfortunately, fairs are seasonal. Summer comes and goes and takes its cotton candy and Ferris Wheel with it. However, the fun of the fair might be just down the street. Family fun centers, like Zao Island in Valparaiso, have the spirit of the fair year-round.

What to Cook for Your Next Party

Do you have a party on your calendar? It is good manners to bring the host a little gift. It is a kind gesture, as being a host is stressful. There is cleaning, cooking, and setup that requires time and money. You can show your appreciation with a little gift. Sure, a bottle of wine is easy and fast. But when you make a delicious, memorable dish, its a bellowing, “Thank you!”

Dream Vacations-Tracy Rust

Whether it is snorkeling in Aruba, sight-seeing in Rome, or shopping in France, Tracy Rust is passionate about making dreams reality. Tracy spent most of her career in the insurance industry, where she discovered a knack for organizing corporate incentive trips. With her love of travel and talent for organizing and planning, Tracy opened her own travel agency.

Camping for Newbies Part III Life Hacks for Camping

Camping is the ultimate escape – but it isn’t easy. However, there are clever life hacks that make camping simpler! Welcome back to the Camping for Newbies series on Region Adventures. In this series, we explored what to bring and where to camp. Today, we will discuss some ingenious hacks!

Camping for Newbies Part II: Where to Camp?

Welcome back to our Camping for Newbies series! If you missed our first installment, CLICK HERE to read our Ultimate To-Bring List. Today we will work through where to camp with some simple tips I’ve picked up as a newbie camper.

Blogs are Powerful in Marketing: Here’s Why

Words have power. They can melt a heart, light a flame and inspire. Words compel others to act. That is why harnessing the power of words is important in marketing. Your website sets you apart from the competition and its words are the driving force of action. Words let your customer know when, where and how to find you – but they can do more. A blog allows you to fully harness the power of words.

5 Simple Strategies to Save for Summer

Splash! Sun! Sand! Do you wish you saved up for a summer vacation? Perhaps you did save, but it wasn’t enough. Saving for fun things like vacation can be simple. The planning process only requires a few tweaks in your habits and budget. Planning is easy, but consistency will make all the difference. Stick to your plan and don’t let minor setbacks squash your summer dreams!

Camping for Newbies Part I: The Ultimate To-Bring List

Why camp? There are many reasons to pack your bags and head to nature’s playground. Some people camp to feel like a kid again. They enjoy reliving childhood memories through the eyes of their own children. Others might appreciate an affordable getaway. It won’t cost a fortune to grab a tent and some marshmallows and visit a local campground. Plus, camping allows you to turn off your phone and finally read that paperback. It is the ultimate escape!

Clean the Beach: Here’s How

Dreaming of a beach vacation? Why not load up the car and head to Lake Michigan? Afterall, Summer 2020 is not conducive for travel due to COVID-19. We are fortunate to have a playground of sand and water right in our backyard in Northwest Indiana. But before you slather yourself with sunscreen and unroll your trusty beach towel, consider doing your part. There are organized beach cleanups – or you could start your own!

A Career Cat’s Tale at Porter Bank

A gray puff fur and a meow like a whisper – I don’t know how she even spotted me. Fate brought her to me, my furless mother. How else can you explain it, other than fate? The odds were stacked against me.

Happy Centennial, Porter Bank!

It’s time to celebrate! April 2020 marks a special milestone for Porter Bank. Our bank has officially served Northwest Indiana for 100 years! Although some of our celebration plans were postponed due to COVID-19, we look forward to serving our customers face-to-face again, soon! Our centennial milestone is a chance to appreciate the past, and get excited for the future.

Home Construction Loans Explained

Plan on building your dream home? Just as buds appear on branches, new homes start being built every spring. Most families will need to borrow funds to build their home. That is why many rely on construction loans.

A Quick Guide: Car Insurance

Where will the road take you? From the sandy coasts to the majestic mountains, there are countless American adventures to experience. Before your road trip and before you even take a 2-minute drive to your local gas station, you should understand the kind of coverage that is available for your car. Having auto insurance feels like a protective blanket; it is peace of mind to know you are covered.

Christmas Savings Account for Kids

Christmas is the season of magic. It is priceless to see the joy of Christmas reflected in your children’s eyes. While kids don’t need much to enjoy this precious day, the presents, food, deserts, and decorations all add up. It can prick a hole in your finances every winter and take some of the fun out of the holiday. No one wants to feel stressed about money and bills during Christmas season!

Places to Eat in Portage

Why eat at a local Portage restaurant? There are many reasons to grab a bite to eat. You get out of the house, mingle with family and friends, and eat food cooked by a professional chef. It also saves you time on buying, preparing, and cleaning up. In Portage Indiana, there are plenty of amazing local restaurants to choose from. Below are some of our favorites!

A Quick Guide: Mortgage

If the word mortgage gives you the chills or makes you scratch your head, you are not alone. Whether you are new to homeownership, or you’ve been-there-done-that but your knowledge bank is covered with dust, many people are afraid and/or confused about mortgages.

Region Adventures Upgrade

Region Adventures is proud of the growth we've achieved since being launched. Region Adventures began to promote 'the Region' of Northwest Indiana, which encompasses Lake, Porter, La Porte, Starke, and St. Joseph counties. By meeting our goals, we are expanding the region to cover every 'region' in North America and Canada.

Benefits of Bank Credit Cards

Do you have a credit card? When you have questions, can you make a call to someone local? There are many benefits of using a credit card. You can enjoy extra perks with a credit card through your local bank.

6 Tricks to Save for Vacation

If you find yourself humming this Beach Boys tune or picturing yourself some place more colorful than cold, gray, wintery Indiana, maybe it’s time for a vacation! You can turn your dreams into reality by saving. Depending on your budget, you might need to start now and travel next year. Either way, starting your vacation fund is all part of the fun. All you need to do is make some small changes and you’ll be on a plane before you know it!

Survival Guide: Selling Your Home in the Fall

Autumn is a great time to stick that for sale sign in your yard. It’s the second most popular season and the lovely colors, aroma, and moderate weather help showcase the beauty of your home. There are several ways to help your home sell this fall. Don’t worry, none of these tips will break the bank.

6 Secrets to Using a Credit Card

Do you want to repair your credit score? Are you new to credit cards? No matter where you are today, credit cards can help you build good credit. However, they can also burry you in debt. Used the right way, credit cards can beneficial financial tools.

5 Hacks to Sell Your Home in the Winter

People move during all times of the year. Maybe there is a new job opportunity, a deadline, a lease is up, or a change is in order. Even if winter isn’t the height of real estate season, there are still people who want to buy your house.

Why Music is Important in a Child's Life

Music is important in a child’s development. It is so important that some parents even expose music to their babies in utero. But why? What is it about music that is so important to a child’s life?

The Power of Power Washing

Do you pressure wash your home? No, the gold ‘ole hose doesn’t count. Maybe you own a power washer, or perhaps you you’ve never power washed at all. Having your home power washed by an experienced professional will instantly improve your curb appeal.

5 Fun Fall Things: Chesterton 2019

Autumn in Chesterton is not only a gorgeous array of orange, brown, and red, it is a fun-filled season overflowing with things to do!

4 Things Big Banks Don't Want You to Know about Local Banking

Big banks can’t compare to the sense of community found within the walls of your local bank. Plus, your community banks directly benefit your family, friends, and neighbors. However, in today’s economy, there are tons of places to bank. Even in this ever-changing society, locally owned banks and credit unions are still an important part of the community.

5 Secrets of Adding Value to Your Home

Do want top dollar in your home’s sale? Of course, you do! Make sure your upgrade has a great return of investment. Here are 5 secrets to adding value to your home.

Growing Older? Never Stop Following Your Dreams

Fact or Fiction? “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” If you said fact, you aren’t alone in your views. Many people believe that a new skill, like a second language or musical instrument, is impossible to master at an advanced age. You may even think older people physically can’t learn new things. Perhaps you believe that increased forgetfulness is a clear sign of impending dementia.

Cha-Ching!

Let’s face it. Everyone loves money. But not everyone loves to save their money. It can be a very difficult thing to do whether you just like to spend it, or you don’t have much wiggle room in your budget to set some aside, or an unexpected expense came up that you had to take care of.

The Best (and Simple) Way to Save Money

Are you living pay check-to-pay check? It is stressful when there is no extra money for fun, like vacations, or emergencies, like car trouble. The truth is, most families could use more money.

Yesterday's Treasures

Yesterday’s Treasures Antique Mall & Artisan Gallery is a priceless Chesterton landmark. Cindy and Dave Winter own this 20,000 square foot mall and provide an opportunity for members of the community to sell their wares.

Selling Custom Made Shirts

When you are ready for custom shirts that are unique, different, and unbelievably soft stop by www.ValpoShirts.com

Region Adventures

It is a common misconception that, 'There is nothing to do in Northwest Indiana except stare at all the corn fields.' We do have our range of corn fields but the saying of 'There is more than corn in Indiana' is true. Region Adventures is now here to keep you in the know of all of the great, fun, and family-oriented things to do from South Bend all the way to the Illinois border with the occasional post over the Illinois border.

O'Gara & Wilson Booksellsers

O’Gara and Wilson, LTD, traces its lineage back to 1882, when Mr. Hewitt founded the original bookshop in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago. Hewitt ran the store until the 1890’s, when it became Woodworth’s, a well-known establishment where generations of University of Chicago professors and students did their book buying.

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