Broke on My Daughter’s Birthday, I Never Expected the Freebies She’d Score!

Struggling for Money to Celebrate My Daughter’s Birthday, I Was Baffled by How Much She Could Get for Free

A single mother finds a wealth of free birthday things while trying to find the perfect way to celebrate her daughter’s eighteenth birthday on a short budget. They set off on a fun-filled journey from Starbucks to Sephora, demonstrating that memorable festivities can be had even on a tight budget.

Today is my daughter’s 18th birthday, and as a single mother, the last few months have been difficult financially. The fact that I can’t always give her the small pleasures she deserves pains me.

I was therefore curious as well as a little concerned when she indicated that she had plans for her birthday.

She had been methodically organizing a low-budget birthday escapade, which caught me off guard. She had created a Google Doc with a list of all the local businesses that give away freebies on your birthday.

I was shocked! Her goal was to visit as many of these locations as she could during the day in order to collect a range of freebies and make her special day unforgettable.

I was astounded at how much she could acquire just by showing it was her birthday as she eagerly showed me her list.

The first place on her itinerary was Krispy Kreme, where she could start her day sweetly with a free 3-count of original glazed doughnuts.

She was entitled to a free dessert at Olive Garden when she bought any adult entrée.

She may select a birthday gift bundle from well-known brands like Kosas, Moroccanoil, Charlotte Tilbury, or Youth To The People from Sephora, which also had something special in store.

Starbucks gave her a free drink of any size with any extras, but only if she downloaded the app and took advantage of the promotion on her birthday.

Last but not least, The Keg Steakhouse would supply a tiramisu and a buy one, get one free entrée, allowing us to have a great meal without going over our budget.

And these were only the first steps. Ever the resourceful one, my daughter chose to delve a little farther.

At her recommendation, we both went to Reddit, a goldmine of advice and firsthand knowledge, to see what other people were doing to get the most out of their birthday money. We discovered the following advice:

Adventures for Free on Your Birthday:

I read a Reddit user’s comment who had celebrated their daughter’s eighteenth birthday in a similar way.

They had gotten a complimentary bundt cake from Nothing Bundt Cakes, a meal from Schlotzsky’s, a cool drink from Starbucks, and a sweet treat from Cinnabon.

Another Reddit user mentioned that a Moe’s homewrecker burrito, which is offered through the restaurant’s app and loyalty program, is their preferred free birthday gift. They also noted that their second favorite is Denny’s free Birthday Grand Slam.

Hacking a Movie Theater

A Redditor brought attention to the fact that some movie theaters, such as Kinepolis, don’t seem to mind if you register under the same identity more than once. They talked about how they used to go on a movie marathon and would visit different cashiers each time to get free movie tickets for their birthday.

Unexpected Birthday Presents

In a hilarious post, a netizen recounted that when they turned eighteen, the US Army and Gillette sent them a free razor as a reminder to sign up for the selective service.

An Experienced Freebie Hunter’s

Although certain offers have become more selective over time, a seasoned freebie hunter revealed that there are still plenty of fantastic bargains to be had. They noted that they still start their birthdays with a complimentary coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts.

A thread commentator had also seen a decline in exclusive deals for those commemorating their birthdays. It was also mentioned that if you sign up with your ID, Jersey Mike’s still offers a free sub on your birthday.

Getting the Most Out of It

One Redditor recalled a birthday they spent being extremely impoverished but still treating themselves to freebies all day. They referred to it as one of their most memorable self-planned birthday celebrations.

Another person related how they used to celebrate his wife’s birthday similarly, but they had to travel several hours to get to a big city beforehand.

Their wife also asked store employees what freebies she could obtain for her birthday on the way back home later that day. Usually, she was given a 44-ounce fountain drink.

Making the Most of Birthday Offers

This wasn’t even the end of it! A Google search revealed a whole webpage devoted to birthday freebies.

This website claimed to contain everything, from complimentary drinks at Ziggi’s Coffee to root beer floats at A&W’s. It also said that you might obtain Sheetz points, TJ Maxx vouchers, and Victoria’s Secret discounts.

The fact that many of the offerings were regional in nature is one of the reasons we didn’t even look through the entire list. We went out to celebrate my daughter’s birthday because we had a lot of things to do.

My daughter’s eighteenth birthday became an enjoyable, freebie-filled adventure that I believe we will both remember for a very long time. In case you choose to attempt this on your own, bear in mind the following extra advice:

Join Loyalty Programs: To take advantage of many of these deals, you must subscribe to an email list or the loyalty program of a business.

Gmail is excellent at separating promotional emails into a different folder, allowing your primary inbox to remain clutter-free if spam is a concern.

Plan Your Route: To save money on gas and to make the most of your time, if you’re going to be visiting several locations in a single day, plan your route in advance.

Be Kind and Appreciative: When picking up your freebies, always be kind and appreciative. Everyone involved can have a more delightful time with a little compassion that goes a long way.

Look for any updates: Before embarking on your birthday adventure, it’s a good idea to verify the most recent specifics as offers are subject to change every year.

I’m extremely proud of my daughter’s inventiveness as a mother. She made the most of what she had and had an amazing birthday even though she was on a limited budget. It serves as a reminder that the greatest things in life aren’t always expensive.