Since solos routinely take it on the chin when it comes to hotel and transportation costs (because we have no one to split the cost with) and are unable to utilize 2-for-1 deals, it pays to have some other strategies in your back pocket for saving money on travel. Here are 10 that I use:

1. Never pay full-price for a hotel if you don’t have to. If there is a hotel you’re interested in staying at, give them your email address (by signing their guestbook or signing up for their email newsletters). You’ll be alerted to specials that the general public won’t know about. If it’s a chain (like Marriott or Starwoods), sign up for the membership club (it’s free) and start accruing points. Once you accumulate enough points, you can turn them in for a discounted or free stay. Also if you are a member of AAA, you can often get discounts off hotels (as well as rental cars, restaurants, and more). Be sure to ask. Same goes for AARP, which you can join if you are 50 or over.

2. Visa, Mastercard, and American Express all regularly offer discounts by category. Check out their travel discounts at their respective websites. IF you can pay your bills off every month, it might be worth getting a rewards credit card that will provide you with free hotel stays or airline tickets. For instance, I have a credit card for a hotel chain in Las Vegas and accrue rewards points through that; when I’m ready to book a trip to Vegas, I can call and take out my money in $25 gift certificates. Don’t get a rewards card if you can’t or won’t pay your bills in full every month, because the interest rates tend to be higher.

3. Use coupons! Contact the local chamber of commerce or tourism office in the city where you plan to travel for any coupons they might have for restaurants, lodging, and attractions. Also consider purchasing an Entertainment book for that area (but first make sure it has coupons you would want to use before purchasing).

4. You’ve no doubt seen my posts and ads for Restaurant.com. If you want to save money on your dining budget, be sure to see what they offer in the area where you’re traveling. $10 for a $25 gift certificate is a great deal. I will often have even deeper discounts (50%, 60% or even 70% off the $10) available via links here on my website. Be sure to use them!

5. Headed to a theme park? Check out the button in the left sidebar of my website for Undercovertourist.com. They are highly reputable online discounter, especially useful for getting discounts on tickets for Disneyworld and Universal Studios in Orlando. If you want to save money over the gate price for tickets, be sure to check them out.

6. Bring/make your own food. If you are driving to your destination, you can bring much of your own food from home, or if flying, stop at a grocery store for food, a cooler and some ice and freezer packs. Sandwich materials, cereal and milk, fresh fruit and salad materials are all good as long as you keep replenishing the ice in your cooler. If your vacation lodging has its own kitchen (suites often have at least a mini-fridge and microwave), even better. Soup mixes and oatmeal can be prepared using your in-room coffee maker. I know, half the fun of vacation is eating out–but if your budget is tight, it doesn’t hurt to make some meals yourself (like breakfast and lunch), while treating yourself to the occasional meal out. The other benefit of making your own meals is that they might be healthier than what you can get at a restaurant.

7. Do your research online ahead of time. Sure it takes time, but it’s a wise investment. Don’t always assume that what has been the least expensive option in the past still is. For instance, sometimes package deals are the best bargain, but sometimes you save more money by booking air, hotel and car separately. Be sure to weigh all your options. Be sure to check all sources, such as Travelocity, Travelzoo, Expedia, and the hotel, airline and car rental websites. Many hotels offer a Best Rate Guarantee; if you find a cheaper rate at any site other than theirs for their hotel, they’ll match it, or in some case, offer you an even better rate. If you’re a bit of a gambler, you might want to take a chance on Priceline or Hotwire, which offer great deals, but you don’t know which hotel or flight you’re getting until after you’ve purchased it.

8. Be flexible with your travel dates. Sunday-Thursday travel to top tourist destinations tends to be cheaper, while weekend stays at business hotels can be cheaper. Midweek to midweek air travel still tends to be cheaper. Sometimes, figuring out the best dates to travel, balancing cheaper hotel vs. cheaper air, can be like one of those logic problems in the crossword puzzle books, but it’s worth it when you can save hundreds of dollars!

9. Use tracking technology when possible to monitor prices. I mean services like Yapta, where you can track airfares by simply typing in the flights you want to monitor. How does it work? Read my blog post on Yapta here.

10. If you plan to go out for some nightly entertainment, Goldstar Events has deeply discounted tickets in several major U.S. cities, such as Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Boston, New York, and more. Some cities, such as New York, London, and Las Vegas, also have half-price ticket booths where you can purchase same-day tickets for the shows you want to see. Again, why pay full price if you don’t have to?

The key to saving money as a solo is flexibility. The more flexible you are about when you travel, where you stay, what airline you fly, what hotel you stay at, and what attractions or shows you see, the more money you can save. See you on the road!