A savvy shopper has shared how she bagged a host of freebies on her birthday, including food, drinks, and cosmetics, by signing up to loyalty schemes. Cissy Jones, 29, from Manchester, made the most of offers from high street brands on her special day this month.
She enjoyed a free Pizza Express pizza worth £15 for lunch, followed by a Krispy Kreme doughnut valued at £2. Her haul also included a bunch of roses from M&S worth £4, a caramel latte from Starbucks priced at £4.20, and a Boost smoothie costing around £8 – all completely free.
At Space NK, she received night serum, lip balm, and a travel-size perfume. “I do it every year,” said Cissy. “It’s super easy and super fun, especially if you live near a shopping mall because everything is in one building.” She noted that the M&S gift was her favourite, but Space NK was the most generous.
However, not all deals are entirely free. Cissy warned that some require a minimum spend, such as Rituals, where she had to purchase a full-price item to get free mini fragrance sticks. Lindt asked for a £10 spend to unlock a complimentary box of chocolates worth £6.50.
She advised shoppers to check terms and conditions carefully, as redemption windows vary. “I’d recommend signing up a month before,” she said. “Just sign up and show the staff at the counter the email on your birthday. Just make sure you read the terms and conditions with how long you have to claim. Some are on the day, some are three days before and three days after, and some can be a month long.”
