Free stuff every student in the UK can expect on their birthday

Birthdays are generally one of the most exciting days of the year. Some like to celebrate in full — throwing parties, arranging dinners, or special trips away — while others tend to keep it quiet, only choosing to spend the day with a close group of friends. 

Regardless of how you celebrate, there’s one thing everyone can look forward to: the opportunity to get some free stuff on your birthday. 

From restaurants to cosmetics stores, there’s no limit to what gifts you can get on your birthday. At most, corporations will offer you exclusive discounts if you sign up for their newsletters or membership deals. Not many are willing to give you gifts completely for free, but rest assured, such offers exist — if you know where to look.

With that, here are some eye-catching deals for free stuff on your birthday, and how you can take advantage of these as an international student in the UK. 

Free stuff on your birthday: A guide for students

The list of free stuff on your birthday is immense. Source: Tolga Akmen / AFP

Free meals

Restaurants are usually the go-to for birthday meals — and these are even better when they come completely free. One of these is Frankie and Benny’s for some family friendly American Italian comfort food. Here, you can get a birthday deal as long as you sign up for their Rewards offers, after which you’ll be sent a voucher to claim your meal. 

Signing up for the Shepherd Neame Birthday Club will get you the same offer. This voucher will be sent to you two weeks before your birthday and is valid for six months. 

Not all restaurants will offer you a free meal, but most will offer you free dessert. Joining the Pizza Express Club will give you a free dessert, pizza or bottle of prosecco. Krispy Kreme rewards members get a free doughnut of their choice. 

Free drinks

Of course, every student loves a good night out — and that’s all the more apparent for birthday celebrations. Downloading and signing up for the TGI Rewards app will give you a code to receive a free cocktail or mocktail, though you’ll have to purchase this with a main meal. 

Brewhouse & Kitchen will give you a pint of beer completely on the house as long as you’ve registered for their mailing list at least three weeks before your birthday. Similarly, Miller & Carter offers a free glass of Piccini Memoro for you and five of your friends when you sign up for their newsletter. 

Not a drinker? That’s fine — plenty of restaurants offer non-alcoholic freebies, too. Showing up to Kaspa’s with a valid ID showing your date of birth will earn you a free milkshake, while signing up for a Boost Vibe Card grants you a juice on the house. 

Some restaurants and bars will offer you free drinks on your birthday. Source: Pau Barrena/AFP

Free cosmetics

High up on the list of free stuff on your birthday is the number of vouchers and discounts that will flood your inbox. Many of these will be from beauty or cosmetics companies. 

The Body Shop, for example, has a Love Your Body loyalty scheme which will automatically reload 5 British pounds onto your card. Kiko Milano has a loyalty programme that will also give you a £5 voucher on your birthday. 

Other stores may not give you free vouchers, but might instead allow you to collect extra points on your birthday. Make sure to read up on the loyalty programmes you sign up for — these will tell you exactly what you need to know. 

Other free vouchers

As a student, you’ll need more than food and the occasional treat to get by. Brands know and understand this, which is why they’re offering other selections of free stuff on your birthday. 

If you’re looking for stationery, many would look towards Paperchase for its wide range of pens, organisation tools, and colourful notebooks. They’re offering a £5 voucher as part of their Treat Me loyalty card, which will be automatically topped up on your birthday. 

Other free stuff on your birthday for you to consider: the chance of a £5 voucher from IKEA when you sign up for their Family Card; a £5 voucher when you sign up for a Hobbycraft account; a free candle from Hobbs; free treats for your pets with the Pets at Home VIP Club — though the last will only apply for your pets’ birthdays. 

For more free stuff on your birthday, be sure to have a look at this article by Save the Student for only the best deals.