Cheap birthday ideas: can I celebrate my boyfriend’s big day for free?

Feeling the pinch, our writer plans a day of festivities while attempting to spend as little as possible.

Last week was my boyfriend’s birthday. I’m not telling you this in a fit of love or devotion.

The timing was frankly annoying.

As a freelance journalist and carer, I’m far from flush and at the time, and was desperately waiting for a raft of late payments to hit my account.

Why couldn’t I have found a chap born in December? Even Mr August would have had his charms.

So, I set myself a challenge. Could I treat him to an amazing day on the tightest of budgets?

I know what you’re thinking… he is indeed lucky to have me.

The gift

According to research from American Express, Brits spend an average £36.61 on birthday presents – increasing to £59.01 for milestone birthdays.

Can I squeeze this down to zero? In my case, a frugal option comes to mind immediately. For weeks, my boyfriend has been nagging me to attend a work event at his boss’ house.

So, I made a joke of it and we agree to go as his present.

Of course, this is a terrible gift, but I’d confided my financial woes in him and nobody who really cares would expect you to get into financial difficulty for the sake of one day.

The card

When I let my friends into my plans for bargain birthday celebrations, they assume one thing: I’ll make the card.

A homemade offering is not only free, but a wonderful, romantic gesture.

Two problems with that: First, my card-making skills would embarrass a four-year-old child and second, romantic gestures aren’t our style as a couple.

This is my first (and only) failure in my challenge and I spend 79p on a card from a discount shop.

On the day, I’m glad I didn’t splash out. He opens the envelope, glances at the contents, mumbles something and discards it immediately.

As I say, we’re hardly the romantic types so a flash card would have been a waste.

The birthday dinner

As a freelance journalist, I have a regular gig reviewing local restaurants.

It’s less glamorous than you might imagine, though I do receive a modest spending allowance per review.

I schedule a review of a local tapas bar on the night of his birthday.

While I’m perhaps lucky to review restaurants for work, there are plenty of options to enjoy a discounted dinner.

Several restaurant chains, including Frankie & Benny’s and Beefeater, offer a free birthday meal if you sign up for their loyalty schemes – though, you’ll normally need to pay for another meal from the menu.

The cake

No birthday is complete without at least one piece of cake. Here, I got lucky in my freebie quest. Well, sort of...

A few months ago, I found something extremely unpalatable in a baguette I’d bought from a high-street supermarket.

I won’t disgust you with the details. Let’s just say, it was dead and squashed.

I raised hell on Twitter, received compensation and used this voucher to cover the cost of the birthday cake. Who said romance is dead?

Even without a voucher, there are other ways to bag something sweet for free:

• Friends of Krispy Kreme: by registering for the app and loyalty scheme, you’ll receive a voucher for a free doughnut on your birthday, as well as treats for your partner or children
• Free cookie from Subway: if you have a Subway discount card, the sandwich chain will give you a free birthday cookie

Entertainment

I’m constantly amazed by the amount of fantastic galleries and exhibitions you can visit for free.

When it came to my boyfriend’s birthday, I opted for an exhibition of vintage 1970s toys in the city’s art gallery (pictured, right).

He is a child of the seventies so this seemed ideal.

“Honestly, sweetie: I didn’t just choose this because it was free…”

Post-dinner drinks

For most of us, birthdays involve the odd tipple. Here’s how I bagged ours for free.

I’m a member of a local pub quiz team, which (thanks in no way to me) lands a place in the top three most weeks. 

The prize: free drinks vouchers. I’ve been setting aside my portion of the winnings for weeks and, by the time my boyfriend’s birthday arrives, I have 14 coupons to spend.

Even if I hadn’t had these, there are other options to cut the cost of birthday libations.

Voucher site HotUKDeals is currently offering a voucher for a free pint in Marston’s pubs until 4 July.

Restaurants, including Pizza Express and TGI Fridays, also provide free drinks if you sign up for their apps or newsletters and have a meal around the time of your birthday.

Remember to check for any terms and conditions on these offers as a number of chains sneak in loopholes such as minimum spends.

The final verdict

So, was my challenge a success? From a personal finance point of view, I didn’t manage to avoid spending entirely, but nevertheless, 79p won’t break the bank.

What did the birthday boy have to say? He insists it had been the best day he’d had for years.

Admittedly, the free food and booze no doubt played a big part in his birthday cheer, but I don’t think we could have enjoyed ourselves more if I’d forked out hundreds of quid.

What do you think? A brilliant way to steer clear of the commercialism of birthday celebrations or a bu underwhelming? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.