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"&#128165; Buy tickets for Fun Fearless Life 2015 here. &#128165; Plan, Plan, Plan Go Short: The longer the break, the better, right? Actually, studies show that it&amp;#039;s the excitement of anticipation that maximizes happiness. A quickie getaway delivers those good feelings on a budget. Be Watchful: Got a dream destination? Plug it into AirfareWatchdog.com and you&amp;#039;ll receive e-mail alerts when low fares pop up. Recruit Friends: You can save money by sharing a rental car, staying in a suite, and requesting group rates for activities. Use the free app Splitwise to divvy up the bills. Compare Options: The calculator at BeFrugal.com computes the estimated cost (and time investment) of driving versus flying. Using public transit can be a major money saver too. Ask a local (or a friend who&amp;#039;s been where you&amp;#039;re going) about the best and cheapest ways to get from A to B. Win a Vacay: Some hotels and airlines host giveaways on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest. See what a search turns up. And Cosmo has its own giveaway this month: a two-night stay plus gratis spa treatments at the Hard Rock Hotel in San Diego. Now Book It Find the Best Rate: Flash-sale sites like Tablet Hotels, Vacationist, and Jetsetter (Gilt Groupe&amp;#039;s travel company) secure exclusive rates directly from hotels for up to 70 percent off. A recent Jetsetter deal for a room at a trendy waterfront hotel in San Francisco was $100 less than the best price offered on the hotel&amp;#039;s website. More deals can be had using the free HotelTonight app \u2014 great for last-minute getaways within driving distance. Stay Flexible: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays tend to be the cheapest days to fly. For instance, flying between NYC and Paris on Wednesday instead of Friday can save nearly $150. Search Like a Pro: Once the airline spots you searching for flights online, the price may go up and up. Clear your browsing history to get back to the original price. Cover Your Bases: After you&amp;#039;ve booked, register your purchased tickets with Yapta. If there&amp;#039;s a significant drop in the price, you may be eligible for a refund from the airline. Tingo offers the same service for hotels. Work Your Card: You know about your card&amp;#039;s big travel perks \u2014 like free miles and airline-ticket discounts \u2014 but you may also be entitled to under-the-radar cost savers, such as a free checked bag, room upgrades at hotels, and even discounts on concert tickets. On the Road Avoid Foreign Fees: Buying something in a different currency costs you an average of 3 percent of the purchase price in fees. If you travel overseas often, consider opening a fee-free card. (just make sure you&amp;#039;re not getting burned with an annual fee). Talk On: Standard voice and data plans will rack up hundreds of dollars in fees if you use your smartphone while you&amp;#039;re abroad. Instead, buy a prepaid SIM card at the airport. You&amp;#039;ll enjoy a week&amp;#039;s worth of unlimited talking and web surfing for around $15. Tip Wisely: If you&amp;#039;re traveling abroad, you may not need to tip as much as you do in the United States\u2026if at all. In many European cities, for example, a service fee is included in restaurant bills. Ask at your hotel about local tipping protocols, then act accordingly. Get Creative: There are lots of fun ways to soak up the city you&amp;#039;re visiting without splurging on pricey tickets or Michelin-star meals. Wander around a farmer&amp;#039;s market to check out the local produce, then have some for a picnic lunch. You could sit on a bench in a city square and people-watch, and take advantage of free museum days and concerts in parks and churches. Scan bulletin boards for events, and take a chance. Score Perks: You won&amp;#039;t get what you don&amp;#039;t ask for! Ask your hotel concierge, who wants you to have a great stay, if there are room upgrades available. And don&amp;#039;t hesitate to make friends with ticket agents, waiters, and other folks you come across, mentioning if you&amp;#039;re traveling for a special occasion. Your new travel mantra: It pays to be nice. Want a crash course in living fun and fearlessly? Then join us for Cosmo&amp;#039;s Fun Fearless Life weekend&amp;amp;nbsp;this fall that&amp;#039;s&amp;amp;nbsp;packed with inspiring speakers, incredible networking opportunities, tips from celebrities, and electrifying performances, plus meet &amp;amp;amp; greets with Cosmo editors. Get your tickets before they sell out here! Photo credit: Emily Nathan/ Gallery Stock; Chance Yeh "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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