Qld woman shares tips and tricks on how to obtain free stuff after her birthday quest pays off

A Queensland woman who set out on quest to find out how many freebies she could obtain for her birthday has shared her tips after receiving everything from free cinema tickets to doughnuts, discount vouchers and more.

A Brisbane woman who set off on a quest to find out how many free items she could obtain for her birthday has shared her secrets on how she ended up with everything from free cinema tickets to doughnuts, discount vouchers and more with minimal effort.

In a post to social media site, Reddit, Jessie Irwin, 33, of Highgate Hill said she decided to see if, and how many, freebies she could obtain around Brisbane in time for her birthday on Monday.

“Today is my birthday! So I tried to get a lot of free stuff. Some worked, some didn’t,” she wrote under her jesseirwinart username.

The self-described disabled, autistic artist said she noticed she had stopped receiving birthday emails usually sent out by certain companies so, in some cases, went into those stores in person to ask if they still provided birthday discounts which generally paid off.

Boost Juice gives their members a free fruit smoothie on their birthdays. Picture: Richard Hatherly

Ms Irwin had most success with food items, including doughnuts, fruit smoothies and gelatos, but was disappointed to discover some chemists and large US coffee shop chains had discontinued their previous birthday discounts, or altered the way they offered membership benefits.

Under her list titled “Success”, the birthday girl said she managed to obtain a free original sized lychee crush drink from Boost Juice and a free Krispy Kreme-brand doughnut from a 7-Eleven convenience store, thanks to having either a store membership card or app.
“Free scoop of gelato from Gelatissimo: need app, can choose the 50c extra options if you want, cup or cone, I got double fudge chocolate in a cone (sic),” she also wrote on the list.

Jesse Irwin, 33, an artist from Brisbane, has shared some tips and tricks on how to get free stuff for your birthday on Reddit. Picture: JesseIrwinArt/Reddit

It was not all about food, Ms Irwin said she was also successful in obtaining discount vouchers at some stationary and other types of stores.

“$10 at Kikki k: I didn’t get an email about it, but I knew they gave one every year up to now, so I went and asked and they said they have had issues with the email system (sic),” she wrote.

“They gave me the voucher ($10 off a $20 minimum purchase (used to be just $10 straight up)) and said they’d contact corporate for me about the missing email (sic).”

Ms Irwin also said she obtained a $10 off voucher from The Body Shop when she went in store and also proved it pays to ask because she discovered some shops had changed their birthday rewards.

In one case, even her cat benefitted.

“$10 at T2: I was under the impression they only gave a free cup of tea on your birthday. I never bothered to redeem it in the past, but tried today (sic),” she wrote.

Gelato lovers can get a free scoop on their birthday from Gelatissimo, says Jesse Irwin who went on a quest to find freebies in time for her birthday on Monday. Picture: Supplied

“They said they haven’t done the cup of tea for years since covid. So instead, they’re supposed to send an email with a $10 or 10 per cent off (your choice) voucher. So she gave me $10 off yay. Got some sleepy tea. Got the free gift wrapping so it is now a gift from my cat. (sic).”

The biggest tip to receiving birthday freebies, Ms Irwin said, was to ensure any memberships are joined in advance.

“Most of these you have to sign up more than 30 days before your birthday for it to count,” she advised.

Under her ‘Failure’ list, Ms Irwin said she was turned down for a pack of four doughnuts by a Krispy Kreme shop because she did not have an email code, and that free birthday coffees were no longer available from Starbucks.

“(Krispy Kreme) said they’d only do this with an email code, I didn’t get one, and there’s nowhere to add your birthday to the website,” she wrote.

“Starbucks: They said Aussie Starbucks don’t do the free birthday drink anymore.”

Ms Irwin was disappointed to discover the Australian chain of US Starbuck coffee shops no longer gave out a free coffee on your birthday. Picture: Joe Raedle/Getty Images/AFP

Ms Irwin also included more tips under the titles ‘Neutral,’, Other’, ‘Probably irrelevant to most people’ and even updated the post with a still growing list of suggestions from other Reddit users, under a ‘From the comment’s list section.’

She even made note of some businesses that simply sent an email to say Happy Birthday, which she said was “nice of them.”

The artist told the Courier Mail Tuesday she decided to see how many birthday deals she could find just for some fun in the city one day in June.
“I decided to do the free birthday stuff because I had the day to myself while my partner was at work, and I wanted something fun to do in the city for a few hours,” she said.
“Some people on Reddit have been negative about the amount of work I must have put into it, but it really wasn’t much work at all.
“I’d signed up to all the memberships weeks ago online, and the day was just spent wandering about eating free gelato and picking out discounted presents for myself to buy with the birthday vouchers.”

This is Ms Irwin’s full birthday freebies list with tips on how to join her in saving money every birthday:

SUCCESS

■ Free boost juice with membership card or app.

■ Free Krispy Kreme doughnut (choice out of four different types) from 7-Eleven

■ Free scoop of gelato from Gelatissimo, but you need their app. Can choose the 50c extra options if you want, cup or cone.

■ $10 at Kikki K: I didn’t get an email about it, but I knew they gave one every year up to now, so I went and asked and they said they have had issues with the email system. They gave me the voucher ($10 off a $20 minimum purchase (used to be just $10 straight up)) and said they’d contact corporate for me about the missing email.

■ |$10 at the body shop: I didn’t get an email but I went in and asked.

■ $10 at T2: Stopped giving free cups on tea on birthdays following the Covid pandemic. Instead, they’re supposed to send an email with a $10 or 10 per cent off (your choice) voucher.

■ Mecca maxima free gift: Have to spend $300 there before your birthday. The tier one gift is a 30ml cleansing oil and a muslin cloth. Tiers two and three are the same but larger oils.

■ Teds Cameras: $20 off a $40 purchase. I got instax film, pretty handy.

■ Palace Cinemas: Free ticket. Sign up, get a freebie to cover the cost of joining, then get a freebie for your birthday. See some movies, have fun.

FAILURE

■ Four pack of doughnuts from Krispy Kreme: They said they’d only do this with an email code, I didn’t get one, and there’s nowhere to add your birthday to the website.

■ Starbucks: They said Aussie Starbucks don’t do the free birthday drink anymore.

■ Priceline Pharmacy: Do not give birthday vouchers anymore. Instead you get “double points” on any non-medicine purchases during the birthday month. So, you can get a $5 voucher after $200 of purchases rather than $400.

NEUTRAL

■ $20 at speedo.com: You have to spend $21 and shipping is $10.

■ $30 at Veronica Maine: I spent it on two fancy fashion fabric masks, and spent $5 for the privilege. Got a couple of fancy masks for my partner, picked up in the CBD, was OK.

■ $20 off a $40 or more purchase at Erstwilder: I got my mum to pick a present for my aunt, and it will be from both of us. Only good if you like acrylic brooches.

OTHER

■ The North Face gives you $20 off anything.

■ Anaconda gives you $10 off. (Minimum spend $50) No idea how that compares to shipping costs.

■ Spotlight gives you a $10 off $20 minimum purchase. Good if you like craft or fabric.

■ 20 per cent off Rockwear

■ $20 off Review. I’ve actually used this a few years in a row! Get a belt or gloves or whatever.

■ $25 off CUE. Their stuff is expensive and no cheap masks to spend it on.

■ Free scone from Bakers Delight. No idea where they are available.

■ 20 per cent off at MOS Burger. Used to be a free burger, now it sucks.

■ 15 per cent off at Swarovski Jewellery.

■ Free 100ml setting spray from Mac Cosmetics with any purchase. I got it, but only good for makeup people.

■ Adore beauty, $20 off a $40 minimum purchase.

■ 50 per cent off one thing from Gillie and Marc. They’re the people who made the dog and rabbit riding a scooter sculptures in Indooroopilly. It’s all expensive art, and I can’t afford the cat necklace I want even at 50 per cent off. Which is fine, because it’s art.

■ 20 per cent off General Pants Co.

■ 10 per cent off at Strand Bags, used to be $10.

■ $20 off a full priced ugg boot purchase at Ugg.com.au
■ Hangar 66, the pole dancing studio, just sends an email saying happy birthday and I think that’s nice of them.

■ The Warseer forums (a game) send a happy birthday message too and that’s nice.

■ Four Frogs Creperie in Sydney gives you a free crepe. I didn’t get to go during my Sydney trip, but I appreciate the email about it anyway.

PROBABLY IRRELEVANT TO MOST PEOPLE

■ Holotaco.com gives you a free polish from a very small list of options on your actual birthday, US time. Shipping is still $US20, so wait until you want to buy enough for free shipping or redeem a loyalty points freebie too.

Originally published as Qld woman shares tips and tricks on how to obtain free stuff after her birthday quest pays off