I kind of love freebies. I’ve definitely gone through periods of my life where I seem to enroll in just about everything to get them and it’s never so obvious to me that I may have taken my obsession a little far as in July.

Last week, a bunch of emails started showing up in my inbox for birthday freebies. While 32 isn’t so exciting, a bunch of free food? Now that doesn’t sound so bad. Despite these great coupons, most years, they go to waste.

A few though are my standouts – the ones I try to actually take advantage of each year. And this year I managed to throw a free slice of Sbarro in too for a change (though I had to miss my favorite one because I wasn’t anywhere near a Sprinkles).

Day 1

IHOP – Full Stack of Rooty Tooty Fresh ‘N Frooty Pancakes

Valid the week before and after your birthday.

Sign up for the Pancake Revolution and you’ll get a complimentary stack of pancakes on your birthday. There was some confusion at the restaurant about whether or not you can order it to go – the IHOP here let me do it, but the coupon says you can’t. You’re also supposed to use it at your local IHOP listed on the coupon, but I just asked if I could use it at the one by where I’m living. I just walked in, asked if I could order the stack of pancakes to go, gave them the coupon and walked out with my pancakes. It was pretty awesome.

Day 2

Cinnabon – Free MochaLatta Chill

Valid the week of your birthday.

Handed them my coupon for the MochaLatta Chill – was given a MochaLatta Chill and a very exuberant “Happy Birthday!” A delightful sugary, buyonlinegenericmeds.com caffeinated start to my day. You have to be a member of Club Cinnabon to get this coupon.

Day 3

Sbarro – Free Slice of Plain or Pepperoni Pizza with Purchase of Drink

As a member of the eClub, I picked up the cheapest drink on the menu ($2.19 fountain soda) and got my free slice of cheese pizza. I’ve never found Sbarro one to write home about, but it was fine and, most of all, free.

Day 4

Starbucks – Free Drink

Valid two days before and one day after your birthday.

As a Starbucks gold rewards member, I got an extra free drink on my birthday. It showed up two days before my birthday with an expiration the day after, so make sure you use that one quick. You can use it for any drink of any size.

Day 5

Jersey Mike’s Subs – Free Sub and Drink

Valid day of your birthday.

This was probably the best freebie of the bunch, except the only day it’s valid is on your actual birthday. I hit up the sub chain for a Club Sub and a soda fountain Pepsi – no issues and it was easy to redeem (just make sure there’s a chain by you), just join the email club.

Day 6

Sprinkles – Free Cupcake

Valid day of your birthday.

I couldn’t actually redeem this one this year because I was in Virgina, but my favorite birthday freebie when I happen to be in the City on my birthday anyway is at Sprinkles. If you join Sprinkles Perks (their free membership club), you get a free cupcake on your birthday. If you’re a cupcake-aholic,and buy more than 20 cupcakes a year there, you also get a free cupcake on your half birthday. I’m not a cupcake-aholic, but I do love my free Sprinkels cupcake each year.

What’s your favorite birthday freebie?