Tax Day Freebies and Deals

This post comes from Donna Doyle at partner site DealNews.

It’s always upsetting when Tax Day rolls around and you’ve got to sacrifice your hard-earned cash to The Man. Knowing this, some of our favorite stores and restaurants have been kind enough to offer free and super-cheap spoils to make the day a little less painful.

You can pick up a free coffee, some dessert, shred some damning credit card bills, and even indulge in a massage on the day — all without parting with a single cent. Plus, you can bag some incredible discounts at food outlets nationwide, including Boston Market and Papa Murphy’s.

And be sure to bookmark this page so you can check back often, as we’ll be adding even more Tax Day freebies and deals as we come across them.

Office Depot

Valid: From now until April 29.

Deal: It’s bad enough that you need to dish out the dough and pay your dues when the day arrives, but spending additional dollars just getting your documents in order is downright frustrating (especially when you could be spending that dosh on something a little more glamorous).

To save those precious pennies and rid yourself of that pile of paperwork after the ordeal, you can shred 5 pounds of documents for free at your local Office Depot. (Note: Here’s more about the documents you can get rid of and those you should keep.)

McDonald’s

Valid: From now until April 13.

Deal: After a late night of number crunching in the run-up to the big day, you’ll likely need a jolt of caffeine to get you through the morning and keep you sane. McDonald’s is luckily giving away a small cup of McCafé coffee for free during breakfast hours. Plus, we hear that select outlets may even offer customers complimentary refills.

Please note, this deal expires before Tax Day itself.

Hard Rock Café

Valid: From 5 to 7 p.m. on April 15.

Deal: Whether you’re lucky enough to have a rocking set of pipes on you or not, you can entertain fellow guests at select Hard Rock Cafés for a free dinner entrée when you “Sing for your Supper” — and thankfully, we see no mention of this freebie depending on your abilities. Now what could be better than dinner and a show?

Cinnabon

Valid: 6 to 8 p.m. ET on April 15.

Deal: We’ve found that nothing eases our arithmetic-induced stresses quite like a little something sweet. That’s why we’re excited to head along to Cinnabon on the big day to bag two free Cinnabon bites. They’re small and cute enough to eat in one go, while you’re en route to your next freebie.

HydroMassage

Valid: April 14-15.

Deal: If the sample of sugar from Cinnabon doesn’t quite quell the anxiety caused by the uphill battle against those tax forms, then perhaps a gratuitous soak at HydroMassage will do the trick. The traveling jet system employed by the HydroMassage bed offers a full body massage, which will hopefully help you leave your worries at the tax office. (It is strongly encouraged that you call ahead to schedule an appointment. Note that massages may be limited to a 10-minute routine.)

Papa Murphy’s

Valid: April 15.

Deal: If pizza was as cheap as this all year round, there would be little need for us to have access to a kitchen (other than to bake the pizza). Luckily for our health and dignity, it’s not, and we’re very happy to indulge in the offer since it’s a once-off. You can bag-and-binge a large pepperoni pizza for just $5 and forget about rustling up dinner for the day.

Great American Cookies

Valid: April 15.

Deal: No matter how full we are, we can never get enough sugar into our system, especially when we’re feeling sorry for ourselves — and there are few other days in the year when we’re feeling quite as self-pitying as Tax Day. To keep your blood sugar and, more importantly, your mood at its peak, you can get another delicious treat with a free chocolate chip cookie from Great American Cookies.

Boston Market

Valid: April 15.

Deal: If you’ve been as frugal as yours truly in the last few months out of necessity, then dining out has become a rare luxury. On Tax Day, however, you can eat out in style without breaking the bank and dig into two half-chicken meals with two home-style sides and cornbread for just $10.40. That’s a helluva feeding for such a low price (and we won’t tell your date that you’re a cheapskate, if you don’t).

More Tax Day freebies and deals available on April 15

• Orange Leaf Frozen Yogurt: Get a full cup of fro-yo with toppings for $4.15.
• Schlotzsky’s: Get “The Original” small sandwich for free when you buy a 32-ounce drink and chips.
• Blimpie: Buy a regular sub and a 22-ounce drink, and get a second regular sub for free.
• California Tortilla: Get a free queso and chips via the password “Taxes Shmaxes” at checkout.
• Arby’s: Bag a free snack-sized curly fries.
• Olive Garden: $10 off when you spend $30 or more.
• Bruegger’s Bagels: Score 13 bagels and two tubs of cream cheese for $10.40.
• Chili’s: Free appetizer, dessert or kid’s meal when you buy an adult entrée.
• Bonefish Grill: Cut $5 off two or more dinner entrées.
• Sonic: Get 50 percent off all drinks and slushes.
• Mimi’s Cafe: Buy any breakfast or dinner entrée, get a second entrée for free.

More on DealNews:

• 7 Ways Warehouse Clubs Make You Spend More Money
• The Best and Worst Things to Buy in April
• The Best Prices at Major League Ballparks