How to Score Birthday Freebies and Discounts

This post: Inspired by a recent birthday! As birthday freebies and savings have been pouring in, I thought it might be fun to take a night off from cooking and meal planning to let you know some of the best ones to sign up for.

As the rising cost of -- well, everything -- keeps us on our toes lately, let's keep talking about ways to save in addition to our everyday ALDI shopping and meal planning.

• Everyone deserves birthday treats, right? Enjoy free food, free beauty products, free coupon codes, and more, just by signing up for companies' e-clubs and offers.

Many restaurants and retailers offer birthday incentives to members, but be sure to get yourself signed up in advance of your birthday month: Some don't honor last-minute signups. While you're at it, make sure that your whole household gets signed up, so that the treats keep coming in during every birthday month!

Note: It can be helpful to use a separate email address when signing up for retailers and restaurants, so that your main account doesn't get clogged up with ads and offers.

Birthday freebies and discounts

Note: Birthday offers can change at any time and may vary year over year; these are the birthday freebies and offers of which I am currently aware. Some are redeemable only on the big day itself; for others, you have anywhere from a week to a month to redeem.

Do you know of any more birthday freebies or deals to add? Please comment and let me know!

Birthday restaurant & food freebies and deals

A&W -- free root beer float

AMC Stubs -- (Insiders level is free) free large popcorn

Applebee's -- free dessert

Arby's -- free dessert

Auntie Anne's -- free pretzel (in-app only, must have spent $10 in last year)

Barnes & Noble -- Free B&N Cafe treat + paper source craft for your children's birthdays, special offer for yours

Baskin-Robbins -- free scoop of ice cream

Ben & Jerry's -- free cone

Benihana -- $30 gift certificate

Bruster's ice cream -- $3 reward

Buca di Beppo -- $20 gift certificate

Buffalo Wild Wings -- free birthday wings

California Pizza Kitchen -- free birthday dessert

Chick-fil-A -- free dessert

Chili's -- free dessert

Chipotle -- free chips & guac with $5 purchase

Corner Bakery -- free dessert

Crumbl Cookies -- free cookie

Denny's -- free Grand Slam

Dippin' Dots -- free Dippin' Dots

Dunkin' Donuts -- free rewards points

Dutch Bros Coffee -- free drink

Einstein Bros Bagels -- free egg sandwich with purchase

Firehouse Subs -- Free sandwich in the app for rewards members

Flat Top Grill -- BOGO free bowl

IKEA -- free birthday treat in their restaurant

Jamba Juice -- free birthday smoothie

Jersey Mike's -- free sub

Jimmy John's -- free sandwich

McAlister's Deli -- free treat

McDonald's -- free food item (varies by location)

Noodles & Company -- free dessert

nothing bundt cakes -- free bundtlet

Outback Steakhouse -- free dessert

Panera -- free bakery treat

P.F. Chang's -- free dessert or appetizer

Popeye's -- free cinnamon apple pie

Portillo's -- free slice of chocolate cake

Potbelly -- free cookie

RA Sushi -- $20 gift certificate on both your birthday and half birthday

Red Robin -- free burger

Starbucks -- free drink or food item of choice

Taco Bell -- free Mountain Dew Baja Blast Freeze

Texas Roadhouse -- free appetizer

Birthday shopping freebies and deals

ACE -- $5 coupon

adidas -- 15% off

The Body Shop -- $10 reward

Converse -- 20% off

CVS -- $3 ExtraBucks

DSW -- $5 off

Fetch Rewards -- free magazine subscription (+ use my referral code NF3TH for a signup bonus)

Goodwill -- 25% off everything on a day of your choice (will vary by region)

Hot Topic -- $5 reward

Kohl's -- $5 Kohl's Cash

Lands' End -- $50 off $100

Madison Reed -- $10.00 off one order

Maurice's -- $5 or $10 bonus, depending on tier

Miniso -- free birthday blind box

Nike -- 10% off $100+

Puttshack -- Free mini golf game

Redbox -- $2 reward code toward a movie rental

Reebok -- $10 off

Regal Movie Theatres -- free popcorn

Savers -- 20% off

Sephora -- little beauty freebies; changes each year

Target -- 5% off storewide purchase on Circle (exclusions apply)

Torrid -- $10 reward

Ulta -- little beauty freebies, changes each year

Victoria's Secret -- $10 reward

Yankee Candle -- free candle

More birthday rewards?

Please comment with any other birthday rewards you know of, so that I can get them added to this list. Enjoy, and: Happy Birthday to YOU!