It comes around every year — your birthday. Some relish the event and celebrate for weeks, while others are not as keen to focus on the passage of time. No matter where you fall on the spectrum, your birthday can be a great time to take advantage of the loyalty and rewards programs you’ve signed up for over the years. If you love to shop, your birthday can offer a little extra incentive to treat yourself to something nice — whether it be in the form of freebies, treats, extra points, and more.
“Retailers and brands across a number of categories, including food, beauty, and apparel, offer their members free goodies on their birthdays,” says Trae Bodge, smart shopping expert at truetrae.com. “Among my favorite birthday freebies are beauty gifts, being the beauty junkie that I am! I also enjoy the different versions of ‘birthday cash’ that multi-brand retailers offer. These bonuses are a great excuse to do some shopping and save a bit more while doing it.”
To be able to benefit from birthday rewards, most companies require you to sign up for a rewards program or app, and provide your information (including your birthday, of course) to the company, says Michelle Madhok, online shopping expert and founder of deals site shefinds.com. She recommends giving any company your birthday 30 days ahead of time to ensure you qualify for rewards.
If you’re ready to get out there and start scoring some deals, we compiled a look at some of our favorite birthday rewards — whenever you celebrate, we hope it’s great!
Freebies, Treats and Points
The following companies offer freebies for customers on their birthdays. This includes a variety of things from free products to free services.
Starbucks
Members of the Starbucks Star Rewards program can receive a free drink or food item on their birthday. To qualify for the Birthday Reward, you must join Starbucks Rewards
at least seven days prior to your birthday, provide your birthday in your account, and make at least one Star-earning transaction prior to your birthday each year.
Dunkin Donuts
Dunkin Donuts offers a free birthday drink for members of the DDPerks program. The Birthday Beverage Reward coupon is issued a few days before your birthday and expires seven days after issuance.
Einstein Bros. Bagels
Members of the “Shmear Society” receive a free egg sandwich with purchase on their birthdays. The reward is valid for 14 days.
Benefit
Benefit offers a free brow arch to have you looking your best on your birthday. The free Benefit brow arch service is provided during the US calendar week (Sun-Sat) which includes your legal birth date. The one caveat is these are not done at Ulta Beauty Benefit BrowBar beauty lounge locations or Macys — only at Benefit Boutiques.
Ulta
Ulta provides birthday benefits to their Ultamate Rewards account members. You will receive an email at the beginning of your birthday month offering you two times the bonus points on all purchases during the month. You must click to activate the bonus points offer. Members also receive a birthday gift, while platinum and diamond members (based on your spending for the year) receive an extra birthday gift.
Sephora
Provide your email address to join the Beauty Insider program. Then, anytime during your birthday month (and up to two weeks after) you can receive a free birthday set. The sets vary each year and include sample sizes of sought-after brands. The birthday reward can be redeemed online or in-store at Sephora, Sephora at Kohl’s, Kohl’s.com, or Sephora at JCPenney. (sephora.com)
Birthday Cash and Points
The following companies offer birthday rewards in the form of gift cards or “cash.”
Kohl’s
The Kohl’s Rewards Program offers $10 in Kohl’s Cash to members during their birthday month. This Kohl’s Cash can be combined with other discounts and Kohl’s Cash earned through purchases.
DSW
Members of the DSW VIP Rewards Program will receive a $5 birthday offer, which can be used online or in-store. Members will need to have made a prior DSW purchase of $1 or greater using their VIP Member Account. Club Members also receive exclusive personal benefits through the MyPerks program.
CVS
The ExtraCare birthday gift is $3 ExtraBucks Rewards. This is sent by text, email or in the CVS Pharmacy app close to your birthday.
Famous Footwear
Famous Footwear offers members of its STAR Perks program $5 in Birthday Reward Cash, plus 2X points per dollar on all purchases during their birthday month.
Don’t see one of your favorites on the list? Email us let us know what other companies to include!
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