Birthday Freebie Day at the Trafford Centre

You probably already know there are plenty of retailers and restaurants who offer discounts and freebies on your birthday if you sign up for their email list or loyalty scheme. But did you know that you can treat yourself to a lovely day out at the Trafford Centre with loads of those treats all under one roof? I spotted this blog post listing all the freebies up for grabs and decided to try it on my birthday this year. I already had the day off work, it was midweek and so I knew the centre would be quiet, and I also wanted to do a spot of shopping for a couple of outfit items, so it was the perfect chance!

So here’s what I got on the day, and how I got it. The trick is to prepare in advance, signing up for emails/loyalty schemes and downloading apps well in advance of your birthday and visit.

1. Sweet Treat From Costa

By downloading the Costa app and signing up for Costa Club I started my morning with a “free sweet treat” from the Costa within the Next store. I chose this delicious slice of carrot cake.

2. Hot Drink From Greggs

I wanted a hot drink to go with my carrot cake, so I popped over to Greggs which was nearby. Just for downloading the app and joining their rewards scheme I got a free takeaway tea. It’s not even the birthday reward – their birthday treat is actually a free sweet treat, but I didn’t claim this as I already had the slice of Costa cake for the morning.

3. £5 to Spend in Hotel Chocolat

I joined the Hotel Chocolat VIP club online and got sent a £5 birthday voucher to spend online or instore. I visited the store in the Trafford Centre and got this selector bar and also a mini pot of chocolate drops.

4. 20% Discount at Sephora

There were a couple of items I had my eye on from Sephora, so I went in store and used my 20% birthday discount code which you get as part of their loyalty scheme, and I also got a few extra freebies in the bag (which were actually nothing to do with my birthday).

5. Free Burrito From Barburrito

There were quite a few choices for lunch freebies actually, but I love a burrito so I signed up and downloaded the app, and got a delicious free full sized burrito for my lunch!

6. Free Doughnut from Krispy Kreme

And finally, for a little afternoon pick-me-up I chose a delicious Krispy Kreme doughnut, which I got by signing up for the app rewards scheme.

Bents Garden Centre Cake

This freebie is further afield – just outside of Manchester at Bents Garden Centre. I signed up for their loyalty club and downloaded the app, and received a welcome hot drink (in this case a large mocha) and any free cake for the birthday treat. Well worth it, for a lovely afternoon out!

Then there were a few other birthday freebies that I signed up for too, but didn’t get chance to use:

• Lindt Chocolate Treat – sadly there is no Lindt store in the Trafford Centre and I didn’t make it into Manchester before the offer expired.
• Boost Smoothie – I would have claimed this through the app, but unfortunately you do need to have made 1 previous purchase before you can get the freebie so I didn’t qualify in time.
• Las Iguanas Free Main Meal – this can be claimed when buying one other main meal, but I was shopping alone so couldn’t claim this one!
• New Look 20% Off – I couldn’t find the items I wanted in store so I spent this online.

Are The Freebies Worth The Trip?

So the big question is, was it worth the visit? In my opinion, yes it was! I really enjoyed the birthday freebies as a way of treating myself on my birthday. There are so many more to choose from than the few I chose, so take a look at this post for a more comprehensive list. A lot of the options are food and drink items though, and there will be a limit to how many freebies you actually want to claim in one visit. So really it works best if you are already planning a little shopping trip, can enjoy a few birthday discounts while shopping, and can add the freebies to the experience as a birthday bonus.