Regardless of ongoing reluctance in the national media to use the frightening “R” word (recession), or the positively terrifying “D” word (depression) to describe the current state of the United States economy, many people are increasingly feeling the pinch. Jobs are being cut, companies are folding, retailers are declaring bankruptcy, spending is down, and the middle class is on the verge of extinction.

In these tough times, many companies are going to great lengths to draw customers by offering freebies. Of course, some of the supposed freebies out there are spam, scams, and ways to waste your valuable time. However, some are perfectly legitimate and easy to take part in. Would you like a free ice cream cone on your birthday? How about a free ice cream sundae, or free steak dinner? How about a free birthday meal for portrait package for your child? To cash in on many free birthday offers, participants have to sign up online in advance. However, most companies that offer free gifts for your birthday or your child’s birthday only require a one-time sign-up. Your coupons are then delivered or available for online pickup shortly before your birthday. Then you print your coupons and take them to participating restaurants along with I.D. showing your date of birth, and collect your birthday gift. That means that with just a little bit of planning, you can score some free meals, deserts, and more to help make your birthday or a family member’s birthday an extra happy one.

Most of these freebies are not actively advertised by the restaurants offering them. To get them you just have to be "in the know," so to speak. So read on for a list of some of the many free birthday treats that are just waiting to be collected, as well as the web pages where you can sign up for freebies. You can often sign up for yourself, for family members, or for friends, but check the registration information for each business to be certain.

The drawback of signing up for the offers below and others like them is that you have to tolerate the slurry of ads and coupons that arrive in your mailbox (E-mail, snail mail, or both) after the companies get your contact information, so I wouldn’t advise signing up friends unless you know that they won’t mind, naturally. At any rate, there are abundant offers out there for anyone who finds them appealing. The list below is not exhaustive, but how many free meals can you eat in one day, anyhow? Browse and enjoy!

Baskin Robbins-- This offer is a classic! Join the Baskin Robbins Birthday Club at https://www.baskinrobbins.com/bdayclub/RegisterInfo1.aspx to get a coupon for a free 2.5 ounce ice cream, any flavor, on your birthday. (The coupon should arrive via E-mail, but please let me know if that changes.) Club members also get coupons and other special offers, and previews of new flavors. Yum!

Cold Stone Creamery—Join the Cold Stone Creamery Birthday Club at http://www.coldstonecreamery.com/mycs/myCS_pub_home.aspx to get a coupon for a free “Creation” from Cold Stone. Seven days before your birthday, log into your Cold Stone account to access the coupon. You then have 14 days in which to redeem it (that’s 7 days before your big day, and 7 days after).

Dairy Queen—Blizzard Fan Club members get free goodies on their birthdays. The sign-up page is at http://www.blizzardfanclub.com/.

Olan Mills Portait Studios—I was very surprised to discover this one, but you coin the Olan Mills Birthday Club at http://www.olanmills.com/birthdayclub.asp, schedule a “birthday portrait sitting” for your child on his or her birthday, and get a coupon for a free portrait package that includes one 8 x10, one 5x7, and four wallet sized photographs. You have to pay for the portrait sitting, but get the prints for free. The company also offers a 20% discount on additional portraits. Please note that, according to the Olan Mills website, this offer only applies to children ages three and younger.

Bob Evans—At https://kids.bobevans.com/birthday.asp parents can sign their children up for the Bob Evans Kid Times Birthday Club. Children can then receive a free kid’s meal on their birthday at a Bob Evans restaurant. This offer only applies to children ages 12 and younger.

Firehouse Subs— I have never eaten at Firehouse Subs, but if you find yourself near one, then you can sign up for the Firehouse Subs Birthday Club at http://www.firehousesubs.com/birthday/. Just complete and submit the form on their website, and they will mail you a certificate for a free submarine sandwich, redeemable on your birthday. Please let me know if it’s a good sub!

Red Robin—If you join the Red Robin eCLUB at http://apps.fishbowl.com/a/redrobin/eclub/agegate.aspx, they offer a coupon for a free burger, redeemable on your birthday.

Black Angus—Members of the BA Prime Club (it’s a pun, get it?) get a free desert for signing up and a free birthday steak dinner. The sign-up page is at http://www.blackangus.com/PrimeClub.htm.

Hometown Buffet, Country Buffet, and other affiliates—Prime Club members get a buy-on-get-one-free Mega Bar coupon for signing up, as well as a birthday coupon. The form and information are at http://www.blackangus.com/PrimeClub.htm.

Tony Roma’s—The best Tony Roma’s that I ever ate at was in Beijing, China. I had been traveling in rural Asia and eating delicious local cuisine for quite some time, and suddenly wanted a steak and a big pile of mashed potatoes more than anything on earth. I found them at Tony Roma’s in a Beijing shopping mall. But back to the main point of birthday specials, Tony Roma’s offers a free desert to members of the Roma Rib Expert Club, but you must sign up in advance at http://www.fishbowl.com/clt/tnyrms/lp/join/join.asp.

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