A free coffee is a great way to start your birthday and all that's required is membership of a rewards programme.
A free coffee is a great way to start your birthday and all that's required is membership of a rewards programme.
There are two types of people when it comes to birthdays.
Those of us who like to celebrate an entire birthday week or month, who love being spoiled and love to spoil others in return, and then there’s those who have deleted their birthdate off Facebook and couldn’t care less whether you remember it or not.
But however you feel about another trip around the sun, we all love a birthday treat - and what better way to celebrate than treating yourself without spending a cent?
Turns out there are countless places throughout the country where you can claim a free treat or gift simply because it’s your birthday.
Start your day with a free coffee from one of several chains, and follow it up with free meals and snacks from doughnuts to burgers to tacos.
And it doesn’t end there. Whether your idea of the perfect day includes a bit of retail therapy or you’re more of an adrenaline junkie, there are countless free or discounted activities to make the most of on your birthday.
Maybe you want to drag all your friends along to paintball, or jet boat around Auckland Harbour, or maybe you just need some time to yourself and a bit of R&R - in which case you can hit the mall for some shopping or even a free massage.
You have to be signed up to rewards programmes or a membership to benefit from most of these - but it’s well and truly worth the constant barrage of emails in your inbox, I promise.
So, I’ve taken one for the team, done the research and rounded up all the perks, free food and vouchers you can nab on your birthday across New Zealand.
Columbus Coffee is one of several chains offering a free birthday drink.
Food and drink
If you’re like me, your day truly starts when you take that first sip of coffee - so it makes sense to kick off our birthday freebie crawl with a hot beverage.
If you’re after a sweet treat to go with your coffee - and you’re in Auckland - you can head into Krispy Kreme and get yourself a pack of original glazed Krispy Kreme donuts. If you’re elsewhere in New Zealand, you can get $10 off an online order.
Subway also offers a free cookie and drink on your birthday. If you’re looking for something a bit more substantial, you can claim a free birthday burger from Burgerfuel if you’re signed up to their VIB programme.
Fancy a cheeky Nando’s? If you’re signed up to Nando’s PeriPerks, you’ll get a $15 voucher to spend during your birthday month.
And Mama Brown’s in Wellington will shout you a free meal and drink if you bring along a friend who orders and pays for their own, available five days either side of your actual birthday.
Make the most of your favourite shops' loyalty programmes - many of them will offer you a birthday perk. Photo / Getty Images
Shopping
It’s not just cafes and eateries that will shout you a birthday gift, so make sure you add a stop at the mall to your itinerary. If you haven’t signed up for a membership at your favourite clothing or tech stores because it’s too much hassle, it could really pay off when your birthday rolls around.
I don’t know about you but nothing calms me like a browse in the Farmers home decor department, so best believe I was overjoyed to find that if you have a Farmers club card, you can opt in to get a free birthday gift.
If you’re in Wellington and relish the idea of taking aim at your mates for free while they pay for the privilege, maybe you can talk them into heading along to Wellington Paintball Corp on your birthday with you - you’ll get free entry.
And once those activities have thoroughly worn you out, Optihealth in Auckland will soothe your tired muscles with a free one-hour massage to end the day.
