Celebrate your birthday in style with birthday freebies. Image from Flikr.com.

I was very surprised today when I found out about the number of birthday freebies that are available. It makes me wonder why I bothered to spend all that money on birthday dinners and lunches and treats before. For many birthday freebies, though, you must sign up before your birthday in order to get your birthday freebie.

For some birthday freebies you can just walk in and flash your ID, but many you must join a club in advance to get your birthday freebies. Signing up for birthday freebies, though, doesn’t take any longer than applying for payday installment loans online.

Join the birthday club

If you join the Buffalo Wild Wings club, you can get a coupon for a free dessert on your birthday. You’ll also be notified of special promotions year-round. If you join the Old Spaghetti Factory Kids Club, your children can get free meals on their birthdays.

You can also get birthday freebies from Qdoba Mexican Grill if you join their e-club. You get free chips and salsa just for signing up. Not surprisingly, Chuck E. Cheese offers birthday freebies if you join the Chuck E-Club. Sign up for Del Taco’s Raving Fan Club and you can get a free shake on your birthday. If you’re a steak lover, join the Lone Star Steakhouse E-club and get a meal  up to $15 free on your birthday.

Birthday freebies just for showing up

At Chevy’s Fresh Mex restaurants, you don’t have to sign up in advance, you just have to show up on your birthday to get your birthday freebies. You’ll get free ice cream — and a free sombrero! Check around with your local businesses to find more places who will give you birthday freebies.

Most large chains require you to sign up online in order to get birthday freebies and other special deals. A lot of places have clubs you can sign up for to get free stuff any day of the year.

Every day freebies

Many places will give you free stuff just for signing up for their programs online. Register with the Melting Pot and you can get a coupon for free chocolate fondue. You get one free smoothie from Juice it Up for signing up for their Smoothie E-Club. Later you will be informed about their birthday freebies, too.

Rubio’s Fresh Mexican Grill will give you coupons for free tacos when you sign up for their Beach Club. If you sign up for Wendymail through Wendy’s you get a $1 off coupon, and with all of the dollar menu items available at Wendy’s you can easily get a free meal. If you sign up for Noodlegrams from Noodles & Company a coupon for signing up, a free dish on your birthday and a surprise on your Noodlegram anniversary.

Back to birthday freebies

Here are a few more places you can get free meals on your birthday if you sign up online:

• Black Angus Prime Club, free dessert for signing up and free steak dinner on your birthday
• Moe’s Southwest Grill, join Moe’s E-World and get a free burrito on your birthday
• Through the Red Robin E-Club get a free burger on your birthday
• The California Pizza Kitchen gives free meals to kids any time during their birthday month if you’re signed up
• The Denney’s Kids Birthday Club gives children a free entree and a sundae on their birthdays