Free (or discounted) Items on Your Birthday
By: Haley Mendenhall
My birthday is one of the only days during the year when I eat, drink, and buy whatever I want. Having this kind of attitude can hurt your wallet or bank account in a way not even a birthday wish can fix. I just had my birthday, but I was spared a lighter wallet when I found my inbox full of birthday treats and discounts. Enjoy this list of ten businesses with birthday discounts that will make your one special day of the year just a little more special.
1. Starbucks – Free drink or food item. Everyone needs their morning caffeine to get the day going, especially me which is why this was the first reward I used and by far my favorite. To claim this reward, you first need to sign up for the rewards program and download the free app. You can use the reward in person at the store, when you order on the app, or in the drive thru line. This voucher is good for any food item or any size drink, but it is only good for the one day of your birthday. I ordered my favorite drink which is an iced caramel macchiato, and the best part is I could get the biggest size and it was still free!
2. Dunkin’ Donuts – Free beverage of your choice. Why only get one coffee reward when you could get two? Just make sure the Dunkin’ employees don’t see your Starbucks cup and vice versa. To claim this reward, simply sign up for the loyalty program “DD Perks,” and you will get a free beverage of your choice on your special day.
3. Krispy Kreme – Free doughnut. Once you have your first coffee and maybe even your second, what better to drink it with than a doughnut? You can’t go wrong with the classic glaze, a strawberry glaze with sprinkles, an old fashioned, or, my personal favorite, the cream filled with chocolate glaze. Once you join the Krispy Kreme rewards program and add your birthday to your profile, you will receive an email with a code to redeem for one free doughnut. If you are lucky, the staff may even give you two! I can never decide between the old fashioned or the cream filled with chocolate glaze and since it was my birthday the super nice employees gave me both!
4. Cold Stone Creamery – Buy-one-get-one-free ice cream. After my cold coffee, hot coffee, and hot doughnut it was time for another cold treat, so I headed to my favorite ice cream shop with my sister to use my birthday coupon. This was my sister’s treat, so it was free for me. My recommendation to everyone is to guilt someone into buying the first ice cream, so you get yours for free! My sister and I are both “My Cold Stone Club” members, so I will be treating her in a few short months on her birthday.
5. Panera Bread – Free sweet treat. Sign up for the rewards program called “MyPanera” and go by the restaurant to pick up your free pastry on your birthday. After the hectic atmosphere of the previous fast food restaurants, walking into Panera Bread was like breathing in a breath of calm air. The atmosphere was zen and peaceful as I looked at the croissants, cinnamon rolls, pecan braids, and bear claws before finally settling on a Cherry Cheese Brittany.
6. Rack Room Shoes - $10 off your purchase. While this birthday reward does not get you a free item, Rack Room already has a buy-one-get-one deal going on almost year-round. When you add an extra $10 discount, it is an amazing deal. I got two new pairs of vans for $65, and I saved over $30. Not only does this voucher save you a ton of money, but it is also good up to one month after your birthday. Be sure to sign up to be a rewards member to receive this exciting reward.
7. Vince Camuto – 20% off an online purchase. This is one discount that I will have the luxury of saving to use along with better sales in the fall. This is not my favorite deal, but it lasts for 90 days, which is a long time for a birthday reward. I did have to sign up to be a rewards member ad, so my mailbox will forever be flooded with advertisements and newsletters. But what really is the harm in one more company having your information? I plan to use my discount in a couple of months to buy a pair of boots for the fall.
8. PINK – 25% off a PINK purchase. Similar to the previous option, this is not a free reward, but you will receive a valuable discount. Treat yourself a little and buy a new body mist, lotion, or piece of apparel. Sign up and become a member on the PINK website to have the birthday discount emailed to you every year. This offer stays open and available up to one month after your birthday. If you know one of the great sales is going on during your birthday month, then save your discount and use it with a sale to get even more for your hard-earned money. I am fortunate that my birthday falls right before the Pink Friday Sale, so I use my reward for the Bun Bun Cream and Coco Cream to save even more.
9. Sephora – Free gift. At Sephora, even the members of the “Insider club,” which is free to join, will get a special birthday present. You get a choice between a MILK MAKEUP gift that includes a mascara and a lip + cheek set, or a Sol De Janeiro gift which contains two 25 mL bottles of Coco Cabana Cream. I chose the Sol De Janeiro gift and ordered it online since I did not have time to go to the store.
10. Redbox – Free movie rental. What is a better way to end your birthday than with a free Redbox movie code? Sign up online or on the app and receive an email with your code that is good for 60 days after your birthday. I couldn’t wait 60 days and decided to use it on my birthday to watch a movie with my friends and sister. I’m glad I had my free code, though, because the movie wasn’t as good as I’d hoped, and I’m glad I didn’t actually spend money on it.
Edited by Becca Masch
By: Haley Mendenhall
My birthday is one of the only days during the year when I eat, drink, and buy whatever I want. Having this kind of attitude can hurt your wallet or bank account in a way not even a birthday wish can fix. I just had my birthday, but I was spared a lighter wallet when I found my inbox full of birthday treats and discounts. Enjoy this list of ten businesses with birthday discounts that will make your one special day of the year just a little more special.
1. Starbucks – Free drink or food item. Everyone needs their morning caffeine to get the day going, especially me which is why this was the first reward I used and by far my favorite. To claim this reward, you first need to sign up for the rewards program and download the free app. You can use the reward in person at the store, when you order on the app, or in the drive thru line. This voucher is good for any food item or any size drink, but it is only good for the one day of your birthday. I ordered my favorite drink which is an iced caramel macchiato, and the best part is I could get the biggest size and it was still free!
2. Dunkin’ Donuts – Free beverage of your choice. Why only get one coffee reward when you could get two? Just make sure the Dunkin’ employees don’t see your Starbucks cup and vice versa. To claim this reward, simply sign up for the loyalty program “DD Perks,” and you will get a free beverage of your choice on your special day.
3. Krispy Kreme – Free doughnut. Once you have your first coffee and maybe even your second, what better to drink it with than a doughnut? You can’t go wrong with the classic glaze, a strawberry glaze with sprinkles, an old fashioned, or, my personal favorite, the cream filled with chocolate glaze. Once you join the Krispy Kreme rewards program and add your birthday to your profile, you will receive an email with a code to redeem for one free doughnut. If you are lucky, the staff may even give you two! I can never decide between the old fashioned or the cream filled with chocolate glaze and since it was my birthday the super nice employees gave me both!
4. Cold Stone Creamery – Buy-one-get-one-free ice cream. After my cold coffee, hot coffee, and hot doughnut it was time for another cold treat, so I headed to my favorite ice cream shop with my sister to use my birthday coupon. This was my sister’s treat, so it was free for me. My recommendation to everyone is to guilt someone into buying the first ice cream, so you get yours for free! My sister and I are both “My Cold Stone Club” members, so I will be treating her in a few short months on her birthday.
5. Panera Bread – Free sweet treat. Sign up for the rewards program called “MyPanera” and go by the restaurant to pick up your free pastry on your birthday. After the hectic atmosphere of the previous fast food restaurants, walking into Panera Bread was like breathing in a breath of calm air. The atmosphere was zen and peaceful as I looked at the croissants, cinnamon rolls, pecan braids, and bear claws before finally settling on a Cherry Cheese Brittany.
6. Rack Room Shoes - $10 off your purchase. While this birthday reward does not get you a free item, Rack Room already has a buy-one-get-one deal going on almost year-round. When you add an extra $10 discount, it is an amazing deal. I got two new pairs of vans for $65, and I saved over $30. Not only does this voucher save you a ton of money, but it is also good up to one month after your birthday. Be sure to sign up to be a rewards member to receive this exciting reward.
7. Vince Camuto – 20% off an online purchase. This is one discount that I will have the luxury of saving to use along with better sales in the fall. This is not my favorite deal, but it lasts for 90 days, which is a long time for a birthday reward. I did have to sign up to be a rewards member ad, so my mailbox will forever be flooded with advertisements and newsletters. But what really is the harm in one more company having your information? I plan to use my discount in a couple of months to buy a pair of boots for the fall.
8. PINK – 25% off a PINK purchase. Similar to the previous option, this is not a free reward, but you will receive a valuable discount. Treat yourself a little and buy a new body mist, lotion, or piece of apparel. Sign up and become a member on the PINK website to have the birthday discount emailed to you every year. This offer stays open and available up to one month after your birthday. If you know one of the great sales is going on during your birthday month, then save your discount and use it with a sale to get even more for your hard-earned money. I am fortunate that my birthday falls right before the Pink Friday Sale, so I use my reward for the Bun Bun Cream and Coco Cream to save even more.
9. Sephora – Free gift. At Sephora, even the members of the “Insider club,” which is free to join, will get a special birthday present. You get a choice between a MILK MAKEUP gift that includes a mascara and a lip + cheek set, or a Sol De Janeiro gift which contains two 25 mL bottles of Coco Cabana Cream. I chose the Sol De Janeiro gift and ordered it online since I did not have time to go to the store.
10. Redbox – Free movie rental. What is a better way to end your birthday than with a free Redbox movie code? Sign up online or on the app and receive an email with your code that is good for 60 days after your birthday. I couldn’t wait 60 days and decided to use it on my birthday to watch a movie with my friends and sister. I’m glad I had my free code, though, because the movie wasn’t as good as I’d hoped, and I’m glad I didn’t actually spend money on it.
Edited by Becca Masch
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