Best FREE Stuff for Your Birthday!

 I just recently celebrated my birthday and had so many free items/discounts available!  I wanted to share with you all my list of FREE things you can get for your birthday.  You do have to sign up for emails to get these but they really are FREE!

Free Food:

Chicken Salad Chick: You do have to download the app and sign up for this one but you get a Free Chick Special which is like $7 so it's totally worth it!

Nothing Bundt Cakes: Join their e-club for a Free Bundlet!  They are DELICIOUS!

Starbucks: This one is a little more in depth, you sign up for their rewards program with a gift card and then you get a Free drink or food item on your birthday.  This freebie is ONLY valid on your actual birthday so don't wait!  Also you do have to tell them you have a birthday reward to use if you are ordering in person, ont eh app you can just choose to apply.

Dunkin': Sign up for DDPerks and get Free drink of any size on your birthday.

 

Chick-Fil-A: Download their app and you get a Free Chocolate Chunk Cookie on your birthday.  These cookies are one of my favorites!

IHOP: Sign up for emails and get a Free stack of pancakes for your Birthday!

Sbarro: Sign up for the Slice Society and you get a Free slice of pizza for your birthday.

Sprinkles: Download their app and make an account for a free birthday cupcake!

Steak and Shake: Sign up for their e-club to get an automatic free Double n' cheese and fries plus a Free  birthday milkshake!

Ruby Tuesday: Sign up for their so connected emails and get a free burger or garden bar entree on your birthday.

Panera: Join MyPanera for a Free birthday pastry.  I highly recommend the almond croissant, it is AMAZING!

McAlister's: Sign up for McAlister's reward emails to get $5 off  for your birthday month.

Moe's Southwest Grill: Sign up for their reward program and get an automatic free cup of queso and a Free burrito on your birthday.

Newk's: Sign up for their E'club and get a free entree with purchase of a drink.  I'm a big fan of their pesto chicken sandwich!

O'Charley's: Become a member of their O'Club for a free piece of pie on your birthday!  Their caramel pie is AMAZING!

Waffle House: Join the Waffle House Regular Club and get a FREE waffle on your birthday!

Discounts: 
Free food is awesome but I also got a few discounts for stores that were really nice!

Kirkland's: Sign up for their K Club and get 30% off for your birthday plus a FREE gift!

JCPenny: Sign up for an account at JCPenny and get 20% Off for your birthday!

Sephora: Sign up for be a Beauty Insider and you get your choice of a Birthday gift deluxe sample!  Check out my post here to see which one I got this year!

Redbox: Sign up for a Redbox account and I got a FREE Rental for my birthday!

Rack Room: Become a Rewards Member and receive $10 off for your birthday, NO MINIMUM!

Puma: Join the Puma family and earn an immediate 10% off plus get $10 off for your birthday, no minimum spend!

Kendra Scott: One of my favorite deals!  You get 50% off an item of your choice during your birthday month.  You can only do this in store, at checkout just ask for the birthday discount (they will check your id).  P.S. this also works on sale items!  

CVS: Even the drugstore celebrates birthdays!  If you are a CVS beauty club member check your email during your birthday I had a coupon for a Free Poparazzi nail polish.

  Let me know your favorite Birthday Freebie you have scored and if there are any other places I should sign up for!  It's so fun to get all these Freebies during your Birthday month. 

Sephora Birthday Gift 2019

Yay to free beauty products from Sephora!!  If you aren't a Sephora Beauty Insider member you need to join right now.  It's completely FREE and you get free stuff, so why not??

Every year Sephora gives insider members a free gift for your birthday.  You get to pick between 2 choices, usually a skincare set and a makeup set.  I have always chosen the makeup item but this year I went with the skincare option. 

 The skincare option this year was a Drunk Elephant set and I was really interested in trying it out.

The makeup option was a Kat Von D set with lipstick samples and an eyeliner, I just felt like being different and trying the skincare.

Funny story, my husband was with me when I picked them up and when I asked for the Drunk Elephant set he looked up and was like "Huh??"

You get a cleanser and a moisturizer and they are pretty good sizes, I have been using them for a week now and still have a good amount left.

I'm definitely a fan of these products, the moisturizer is great and feels so good on my skin.

Have you gotten your Sephora Birthday gift yet?  Which one did you pick?  Also what are your favorite Drunk Elephant products?

How to do a Christmas Advent Study for FREE

If you aren't familiar with an advent study let me explain.  Advent simply means: "the arrival of a notable person, thing or event".  What event could be more notable than the birth of our Savior?  The first advent happened leading up to the birth of Jesus.  We celebrate advent today in celebration of His birth and in preparation for His second coming.

In the hustle and bustle, shopping, holiday events, travel and everything going on this season I can begin to loose sight of why we celebrate.  Sure I enjoy all the lights, the food, spending time with my family and the gifts but the real reason for celebration is that God himself came down in the form of Jesus, a human child.  The celebration doesn't stop there, the nativity is a beautiful beginning, the real beauty is what happened years later on the cross.  Jesus gave His life as a sacrifice for us, His perfect life was payment for our sins so that if we accept Him we can join Him in Heaven for eternity.  That incredible love is something worth celebrating.

I have been on the search for an advent study to go through this season to help me slow down and think about the real reason for this season.  I had heard of She Reads Truth but hadn't ever followed one of their studies.  They released an Advent study and it is FREE.  You can follow along on their website or download the app.

They also have a hard copy you can purchase if you would rather have a physical copy. 

It's not too late to start!!!

I have been following along everyday and have really enjoyed the message.  Every lesson starts with a few bible verses to look up and then a short message relating to the verses.  I think it is a really great way to add a little something extra to your holiday season and keep your focus on the true reason for Christmas. 

Without God we have nothing, He is the light and the reason for our very life.  Celebrate His love and His ultimate gift of salvation and eternal life this season.

Joy to the world The Lord has come!! 

How to Get Free Starbucks

If you follow my instagram you know I am a coffeeholic.  What I don't like is paying for it (who does??).  I have figured out a few ways to get free drinks from Starbucks and thought it was my civic duty to share my tips with you:  

Use the App!

If you haven't already download the Starbucks app and use it!  Purchase a $5 giftcard and load it on your account.  This gives you free Birthday Drink (more on that later) and the ability to earn stars.  You earn stars with every purchase and they add up to free drinks.  Starbucks also with have challenges to earn more stars with purchases, keep up with emails!

Target Cartwheel

If your Target has a Starbucks cafe check the cartwheel app weekly, every once in a while they will have a percent off of an item in Starbucks.  I have seen them offer 50% off bakery items.

Gift Cards from Raise

If you haven't heard of Raise yet you are missing out!  Raise is a website that sells discounted gift cards.  You can sign up to be alerted when Starbucks cards are added and what percent they are discounted by.

Birthday Drink

Every year on your birthday Starbucks will add a free drink to your account that is active for 4 days.  If you purchase in store make sure to mention that you have a free Birthday drink or they won't ring it up.  You can also order through the app and add it there.  Make sure you use it since it doesn't last long!

Buy drinks wisely

I mentioned that Starbucks offers challenges to earn stars faster.  Make sure you are signed up for email notifications for you know when these are going on.  I get some every week, most of them are related to buying a certain products or products, or even going a certain amount of days to earn more stars.  There is also a day each month where members earn double stars, if you are purchasing drinks go on that day.

Let me know if you have any tips and tricks!

Sephora 2018 Birthday Gift Review and Swatches

All my makeup lovers out there if you aren't a Sephora Rewards Member get on it!!  You get free makeup even if you don't buy anything.  If you do buy things at Sephora you get points that can then be redeemed for products.  For the free products you get a birthday gift every year during your birthday month. 

This year the birthday gift was really exciting!  It was from Bite Beauty and you get an Amuse Bouche Lipstick Mini in Chai, Matte Creme Lip Crayon Mini in Glace, and an Agave Lip Treatment Sample.  There is also a GlamGlow gift if you are more into skincare.

They are "minis" but the size is really good, you get a lot of product.

For the lip treatment you get a sample of the scrub and balm.  I have been using the balm and really enjoying it, haven't tried the scrub but I'm sure it will do the job.

The lip crayon in glace is such a pretty color but it is a little drying on my lips.  I would recommend a chapstick or something to counteract before you put this on.

The lipstick is my favorite, such a great neutral color and it goes on really well.  Not drying, great pigment and stays on well.

All in all I am super happy with the birthday gift this year.  They are the perfect size for your purse and really great amount of products you get for free.

Free Country Concert and a Guitar??

For those of you who have been around for a while you know I have won a few concert tickets over the years.  (Check out my Taylor Swift concert here)  I heard about a concert in town featuring Michael Ray and Devin Dawson and thought it would be fun for me and my husband to go to.  Our local radio station had a giveaway on instagram where you could win two tickets, meet and greets and an autographed guitar.    

Both of these guys are new to country music.  It was really neat to be able to see them before they get big.

Devin Dawson and Michael Ray came out and sang together, they are both very talented and really fun performers.  I love country music!

Devin Dawson releases his first album soon and I can't wait!

It was so cool getting to meet Devin Dawson and Michael Ray!

The guitar was icing on the cake!  My husband is really excited about it and has started playing again.  He used to play when he was younger and little known fact he proposed by playing his guitar.

We had such a great time and can't wait to see what these guys do in the future!

Free coffee for teachers at McDonalds in September!

You know I love coffee and I'm all about free stuff.  Well every Monday in September McDonald's is offering a FREE medium hot or iced coffee for teachers.  All us gotta do is flash your id badge.  

*make sure you check with your McDonald's first.  One McDonald's I visited had no idea what I was talking about...awkward*

I got mine iced because I am obsessed with their iced coffee.  I get the original (no syrup flavor) because the flavored ones (vanilla, caramel, etc) are waaaay to sweet.  This one is the perfect blend of sweet yet still tastes like coffee. 

Thank you McDonald's for providing a reason to actually look forward to Mondays.  

Influenster VoxBox: Loreal Paris Straight hair don't care

Alright guys I got another VoxBox!  This one was awesome seriously 4 FULL size products!  Now one of my products did explode a little bit...which is annoying but it smells amazing!  

If you don't know what influenster voxboxes are check out my post here.  

They give you free products to try and you give your opinions.  

This time I got 4 free hair products:

Loreal Smooth Intense Ultimate Straight Shampoo 

Loreal Smooth Intense Ultimate Straight Conditioner 

Loreal Smooth Intense Ultimate Straight Straight Perfecting Balm 

Loreal Smooth Intense Ultimate Straight Straight Boosting Pre-Conditioner 

This stuff is pretty great.  It smells amazing!  Probably one of my favorite hair product smells ever! 

I usually wear my hair straight so this was perfect.  I don't really know if there was a difference of straightness from the shampoo/conditioner but the balm was great.  I love a good hair treatment and especially if it makes my morning routine a little easier.  It cut the frizz which is great with this humidity and it made my hair really soft.    

#ultimatestraight 

Have you guys tried this line?  What did you think?

Free breakfast at Taco Bell

For those of you who don't know Taco Bell has started serving breakfast...I have not tried any of their breakfast items but I have been wanting to.  

On Tuesday, May 5th from 7-11 am go hit up your Taco Bell for a FREE bacon or sausage biscuit taco.  Sounds weird but they look pretty good.  

I always get excited about going out for breakfast and it makes it even  better if it is FREE!! 

Have you guys tried their breakfast before?  

 

Free Makeup! Influenster VoxBox Unboxing

Ya'll we have been having some crazy winter weather lately, I woke up to 3 inches of snow I didn't even know was coming the other day...

We are supposed to get another 5-8 inches tonight...this southern girl doesn't do well in snow.  I went to a college were it snowed pretty much all winter and I married a mountain man that loves the snow...I like it but only for a few days and not too much and definitely don't ask me to drive in it. :)

Anyway so on my way home from work, left early due to incoming snow, I stopped at the post office and had a little present waiting for me from Influenster.  Now I have talked about them before (check out my post here) quick recap free service that sends you free products for your opinions.  This time it was free makeup!  This is one of my favorite things to get for free...I mean who really wants to spend money on makeup??  My husband said good that stuff is expensive :)

This box was the New York Color featuring Demi Lovato products.  

So the goodies I got were:

Big Bold Angel Lash Mascara: I am a mascara junkie, right now I have at least 3 tubes in my makeup drawer and each of them are different.  I also have one in my purse just in case I forget to put it on in the morning (trust me it's happened) or if I feel like I need more.  I loved the tube of this mascara and the brush was nice too, that is what makes the difference seriously the brush.  The formula was good my lashes looked long and very voluminous.  I had never tried anything from NYC except for lip and nail products so the fact that this one was so good will have me checking out more of their items.  Especially considering they are one of the inexpensive brands.

Big Bold and Precise Felt Tip Liner: This eyeliner was a really neat idea, 2-in-1 liner, precise or bold tips.  One the same end it has a thin tip and the other side is wider.  I really don't use the bold wide end since I typically go for more natural looking eyeliner but the design is really cool.  The liner is smooth and goes on easy, gives a nice line and stays on.  No complaints here and NYC has a new customer.

Have you tried this brand before?  What are your favorite products?

Birthday Gift from Sephora 2015

Alright so ya'll know I am a deal finder...but I also have a love for pricier things.  I love designer bags and high quality makeup I just can't really afford them.  Sephora is one of those stores where I love to look and wish for things but hardly ever buy...they are just too pricey.

I am a Beauty Insider which really just means that I have signed up for their emails and it records my purchases and I get points for each purchase which can then be redeemed for purchases in their reward shop.

One of the biggest perks is their Birthday Gift.  Every year they have a new Birthday Gift for their Beauty Insiders.  These are sample sizes but they are high quality and large sample sizes.

This year the gift was a 2 piece quality sample size of the NARS Lip Pencils.  One is a nice red (which I'm a little shy about) and then the other is a more neutral pink color.  

These are such amazing quality that you get for FREE!!  You can get these in store by just telling them that you want to pick up your fee Birthday Gift (it doesn't even have to be your Birthday month) or you can add it to your cart online.