Save a Buck: Free Treats to Make Your Birthday Happier

Have a birthday coming up? Retailers and restaurants have gifts for you.

Dozens of offers for adults and kids, all searchable by state, are available on FreeBirthdayTreats.com. Gifts include a $10 Powercard from Dave & Buster’s, a free dinner at Captain D’s, and a 15 percent discount coupon from Loehmann’s department stores.

On the website above and others, restaurants lead the gift-giving pack. Current offerings at retailers’ own sites, which usually require you to sign up for a chain’s loyalty program, include a free entree at Houlihan’s, a sub at Firehouse Subs and a burger at Red Robin. For dessert, choose from free ice cream at Baskin Robbins or Cold Stone Creamery.

Finally, walk off those calories with new shoes: DSW offers a $5 birthday discount.

Before collecting your freebies, set up a dedicated e-mail address, free at Yahoo, Gmail or Hotmail, so your primary account isn’t bombarded with these offers. Even if a business promises not to sell your information to marketers, it will likely send other messages about promotions.

Joan Rattner Heilman is the author of Unbelievably Good Deals and Great Adventures That You Absolutely Can’t Get Unless You’re Over 50 (McGraw-Hill, 2009-2010). Sid Kirchheimer writes about consumer and health issues.