Prosecco, cakes and beauty products - how to get birthday freebies and why there's a catch
"It's your birthday!" Cue the influx of emails offering you all sorts of freebies.
Sign up to the right apps and loyalty schemes and you could spend the day enjoying free cake, meals out, beauty treats and even cinema snacks.
Here are some of the things you can get on or around your birthday - and why they may not all be as free as they seem.
Cakes, cookies and chocolates
Most chain coffee shops and bakeries offer a birthday treat through their loyalty apps. You can get a free sweet treat, usually a cake, cookie, muffin or doughnut, from Greggs, Costa, Caffè Nero, Krispy Kreme, Gail's, Subwayand Ole & Steenif you have registered your date of birth in advance.
LidlPlus members can claim a free bakery doughnut within seven days of their birthday, while M&SSparks members can choose two gifts on their birthday from a range of 15 which includes cookies and chocolates.
Hotel Chocolatgives members a £5 birthday reward with a minimum spend of £5.50 and Lindtoffers a free box of truffles when you meet its minimum spend requirement.
Burgers, pizza and noodles
Some fast-food chains offer a free birthday meal or snack - Burger Kingmembers can claim a free Whopper or Plant-Based Whopper, while Chopstixoffers a free small noodle box.
However, most restaurant birthday offers are buy-one-get-one-free deals rather than completely free meals.
At Harvesterand Zizzi'sit's a free main when buying another full-price main. At Frankie & Benny'syou get a free main when purchasing two or more main meals.
Byronoffers a free burger with a £5 minimum spend, while Wagamamaoffers free gyoza when you have earned at least one stamp on your loyalty card in the last six months.
Some chains give money off instead. Turtle Bayoffers members a £20 birthday credit with no minimum spend, while Bella Italiagives you £15 off your total bill when you spend a minimum of £30. Las Iguanasoffers a free main when two other meals are purchased or a 20% off voucher.
Pizza Expressbirthday rewards depend on your loyalty level. Bronze members may get a free dessert with a £10 spend, while higher tiers can get a free pizza or drinks with a £15 minimum spend.
At Prezzo, members receive drinks or desserts when they spend at least £25, while Bill'soffers a bottle of prosecco or pancakes when qualifying meals are ordered and the booking is made in advance.
Fashion & beauty
Fashion brands generally offer birthday discounts rather than freebies.
Members of schemes run by brands such as Nike, Asos, River Island, Levi's, Timberlandand H&Mmay receive money off, but some offers are personalised and not guaranteed for every customer.
Beauty birthday gifts are often linked to your purchase history or require you to buy something.
Space NKmembers can receive a free set of three beauty minis, provided they have shopped with the retailer during the previous year. The Body Shopoffers a £5 birthday voucher to members.
At Rituals, a birthday gift of a full-sized product or deluxe mini comes with another purchase, while Sephorarewards vary depending on membership tier. Bootsusually offers double points during your birthday month rather than a free product.
Entertainment and hobbies
OdeonExtras members can claim a free large popcorn, even without buying a cinema ticket, while HobbycraftClub members receive £5 of birthday credit with no minimum spend.
You can get 20% off at the Disney Storeduring your birthday month and £5 off with a minimum of £20 spend at Smiggle.
Birthday freebie tips
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Sign up to mailing lists using a second email account so your main inbox won't get clogged up with offers.
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Always check the small print as some freebies have exclusions and can't be redeemed with other discounts.
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Weigh up if it is really a freebie if you have to spend a certain amount to qualify.
What's the catch?
Many of these freebies require you to join a loyalty scheme, enter your date of birth and opt into marketing several weeks before your birthday.
Consumer finance expert Sue Hayward says the most generous freebies don't last particularly long and have to be redeemed on your birthday, within the week or sometimes within the month.
Some only unlock after a qualifying purchase or once you have reached a particular membership tier so it can encourage you to spend money you had not intended to.
Emma Richards, operations manager at Data Privacy Advisory Service, says businesses can collect more than just your date of birth when you sign up for a freebie.
"People like something for nothing without considering the implications," she says.
"So always read the small print and check to see whether your personal data will be used purely for generic marketing, or whether this will be used to build a profile of spending habits."
