Birthdays are for cake, celebration, and reflecting on the year gone by – but they’re also the easiest annual reminder you’ll ever get to handle the boring stuff before it becomes a problem. Think of it as a gift to your future self: one day a year where you check the things everyone forgets to check, then reward yourself with a fistful of free food.
Here’s your complete birthday checklist: admin, health, money, and (the fun part) where to eat for free.
Your Documents
Your birthday is the perfect trigger for this because it happens automatically, every year, whether you remember or not.
- Driver’s license expiry
- Health card expiry
- License plate/vehicle registration renewal
- Passport expiry — check this even if you’re not traveling soon; 6+ months validity is required for a lot of destinations
- Any travel programs (NEXUS, Global Entry) if you use them
Money & Insurance
- Check the beneficiaries on your life insurance, RRSPs, and other accounts
- Review your will, or finally make one if you don’t have it
- Pull your credit report and scan for anything off
- Cancel the subscriptions you forgot you were paying for
Health
- Book your annual physical, dental cleaning, and eye exam if they’re not already on the calendar
- Check whether you’re due for any routine screenings
- Refill or review your prescriptions
- Update emergency contact info with your doctor and dentist
Home & Practical
- Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors
- Swap the batteries while you’re at it
- Check your fire extinguisher’s expiry date
And the Nice Part: Reflect
- Set intentions for the year ahead
- Update your resume or LinkedIn, even if you’re not job hunting
🎁 Now Go Eat for Free: Local Birthday Freebies (Orangeville & Shelburne)
☕ Starbucks
Free handcrafted beverage or food item on your actual birthday. Requirements: be a Starbucks Rewards member for at least 7 days before your birthday, with at least one star-earning purchase on record.
🍦 Dairy Queen (Orangeville & Shelburne)
A Buy One, Get One Free Blizzard coupon when you sign up for the DQ Blizzard Fan Club.
🥐 Cobs Bread (Orangeville)
A free Cinnamon Fun Bun during your birthday week (You must join the Cobs Club before your birthday month begins)
🥤 Booster Juice (Orangeville)
A free regular-sized smoothie (Sign up for Booster Rewards at least 7 days before your birthday.)
🥪 Subway (Orangeville & Shelburne)
A free cookie or special reward loaded into the MyWay Rewards app.
Enjoy!
-The Family Tree Team