On turning 21

I'd be disappointed about turning a year older this week if it wasn't for the freebies I get at this time of year. It's the bargain addict in me. I've signed up for so many restaurant "birthday clubs" that, five years ago, it got to a point where I realized I couldn't use all of my birthday free food coupons before they expired unless I started eating two dinners each day.

My husband's birthday is almost exactly one month after mine. Since many of these birthday clubs send birthday freebies one month in advance, the restaurant free-for-all typically spans from early August to late September for us. Two months of dining out is actually more stressful than you'd think.

So now, whenever I sign up for a new birthday club, I tell them my birthday is in April or October. I'm shameless.

This year feels a little bit different, though. I'm not sure why, but I feel like I haven't received as many birthday freebies as I have in the past. Maybe these restaurants have somehow gotten word that I've formed new eating habits and either are doing me a favor or don't want to deal with all of my pain-in-the-ass questions about what contains wheat and what cooking oil they use. I've been holding off on posting this list because I feel like more should be coming - but with one week left, I guess maybe a lot of restaurants aren't giving away birthday freebies this year.

Or maybe I've just forgotten the extent to which I've lied about my birthday... Should I expect an ambush of freebies in October? Well, if you are interested, here are the restaurant birthday clubs that have sent me something so far this year. Most of these I can't actually use because these are restaurants that are in the Northeast, and I moved last year.

• Applebees - Free dessert
• Baskin Robbins - Free sundae AND a $3 off ice cream cake coupon - This cracks me up. Should I buy my own birthday cake?
• Bonefish Grill - Free Bang Bang Shrimp
• Cold Stone Creamery - Buy One Get One Free Any Size Creation
• Dennys - Free Grand Slam- They'll substitute something of equal value
• Dunkin Donuts - Free Coffee
• Friendly's - Free medium sundae
• Houlihan's - Free Entree
• Kahwah Coffee - $3 towards purchase
• Panera - Free Coffee - They used to give out a free pastry. Happy they made the change!
• Red Robin - Free burger - Hello, lettuce-wrapped Royal Red Robin burger!
• Ruby Tuesday - Two Free Cupcakes
• Starbucks - Free beverage
• Sweet Tomatoes/Souplantation - Buy One meal w/ drink, Get One Free
• Ted's Montana Grill - Free Dessert

Any birthday clubs I'm missing out on? I'll probably want to go out to eat again sometime in January.