Five Favorites: Birthday Freebies

For the past few years, I have gone on a "freebie spree" for my birthday. Just call me Mrs. Frugality. Here are my favorites from this year, with links to all of the companies so you can sign up and get your own!

No actual dollars were spent on this spree (nope, no BOGO or any nonsense like that, just 100% FREE!)

Favoritism, 5 things at a time

1.

Firehouse Subs

This "Club on a Sub" was devoured before I even thought of taking a pic of the inside.

Firehouse is the only one that doesn't have a coupon and that you only have one day to redeem. Just bring a valid ID in on your actual birthday, and you get a free sub!

2.

Noodles & Company

Wisconsin Mac & Cheese with Meatballs

Where has this place been all my life? I had never even heard of Noodles & Company before we moved to Fort Wayne. Since I passed one all the time, I signed up for their birthday club. This was my first time ever in there, and I got a big ol' bowl of anything I wanted for free. (Seriously, I had enough left over that I took some home.) It's counter-service, so I didn't even have to leave a tip! (Sign up here.)

3.

Baskin-Robbins

Always nice having a June birthday for this one.

A free scoop from Baskin-Robbins. Do I really need to say more? Yes, the cone was free, too. (Sign up here.)

4.

CVS

CVS $3 off $3

If you're a CVS ExtraCare member, check your email! This is the 3rd year in a row I have gotten a coupon for $3 off $3. And my favorite candy just so happened to be $3. Zero dolla, make me holla. (Sign up in store for ExtraCare then do the online part here.)

5.

Giving Back

Since you're getting a bunch of freebies for yourself, you should probably give something away. Be it your time as a volunteer, a meal for a friend or acquaintance in need, or as I did this year, a pint of my own blood.

There was a poster on the wall that encouraged selfies.

I just love the look of that full bag of blood.

I used to donate a lot in college and haven't since then. (I got screened out back in the early days of this blog) The process is so easy now--I just signed up online and went to the hospital down the street that has a full-time donation center. Unbeknownst to me when at sign-up, I also got a coupon for a free pint of frozen custard. (Give a pint, get a pint--get it??)

Two other freebies I haven't even gotten to yet are a free sundae from Culver's and a free gift from Sephora (ours is a counter in JCPenney). Never done those before, so I can't review them! IHOP also gave me a free meal, but I tipped and also paid for Cora and my BIL's meal. Not counting that one as "free."

If your birthday isn't any time soon and you are fortunate enough to live within a reasonable distance of the wonderful institution known as Krispy Kreme, you can get a free doughnut on Friday in celebration of National Doughnut Day. Enjoy it for me, since I miss that place more than I miss my own momma. Sometimes.

bloody rejection!

Apparently, I'm not good enough for the Red Cross any more.  I used to give blood all the time in college.  Granted, I usually came pretty close to passing out every time, but just lay me back, put the wet towel on my neck, hand me some juice, and I was back on my feet in no time.  Four times a year at least.

Then I joined AmeriCorps and my weight dropped.  I probably hit just over their limit, but I was already passing out before, so I refrained.  Then I moved to Virginia and got on Accutane.  No doubt in my mind that I could not give blood while on that drug.  So I've been off of that for over a year and decided I should try giving blood again after a 4 year hiatus.  Made my appointment, drove the mile downtown (could've walked, but decided it wasn't in my body's best interest due to the history of fainting).

I'd only given at blood drives before, so going into a Red Cross donor office was a new experience for me.  WHICH I ABSOLUTELY LOVED.  I may never go back to blood drives again.  I also loved having an appointment so I didn't have to wait around in some dorm/student center/office park and watch all the double-reds jump the line.  I'm telling you, these things backed up in college - we were all so eager to give!

After my mini-physical, the nurse(?) delved into the questions.  The answers to these for me used to be "no, no, no, no, no...etc."  But now they're not.  And one "yes" in particular knocked me out of the running.  My honeymoon, of all things!  Cancún, Mexico is apparently a malaria threat.  We only went there because the swine flu made it a pretty cheap place to visit last fall.  Apparently we were taking risks in every direction with this trip!  (And luckily all we ended up contracting was Montezuma's Revenge.  Er, maybe that wasn't so lucky.)  Anyway, because of our week in Mexico, I can't save up to three people's lives until October 11.  And by then I'll probably be pregnant or something and not be able to donate once again.  I did still get my coupon for a free pint of Ben & Jerry's and a Red Cross ice cream scoop, so the day was not lost.  And our lesson for the day, kids, is that it never hurts to try!  So if you're feeling inspired, go give blood because I can't.  Or go party on the Yucatan Peninsula so you have a good excuse not to (and then still try and get the prize anyway).

Here's a picture of me enjoying myself on my potentially malaria-ridden honeymoon!