Birthdays are a lot of fun when you're a kid. In addition to fun gifts and lots of attention, you actually look forward to growing older.

Flash forward to adult birthdays and the magic evaporates. It becomes just another day at the office, with the possible addition of store-bought cake and a forced serenade. Luckily, Mr. Free Stuff is eager to put the enchantment back into your annual celebration with a comprehensive list of birthday freebies from your favorite eateries.

Read on for the top 15 offers, and be sure to check out the rest at MrFreeStuff.com.

But wait, there`s more! »

This year's crop of freshmen is already gearing up for their first taste of college life. A main component of all that mad preparation is buying the basic necessities to outfit a dorm room. Some are happy to just throw twin-bed sheets, desk lamp and laptop into a box and call it a day. Others, however, know there's a lot more to getting things in shape than this.

Just buying the basic necessities, however, can run into a pile of cash, so whoever is footing the bill may want to take a gander at these cost-saving tips.

Shop Sales-Tax Holidays

Just in time for back-to-school, 12 of the 17 states hosting sales-tax holidays this year occur in early August. Taking advantage of these holidays will ensure savings on everything from clothes to computers. Check out this guide from Kiplinger Personal Finance Magazine to see if your state is participating, and when.

But wait, there`s more! »

Attention streaming movie marathoners: There are major changes coming your way. This month Netflix announced they'll be increasing their plan pricing. The trend of rising prices for streaming content is a growing one. Cell phone providers like Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile are all planning to eliminate unlimited data plans in favor of tiered pricing. With experts predicting most cell phone users won't be hit by the changes for a few years, Netflix is taking most of the heat.

Here are the basics of the Netflix changes. Instead of having DVD rentals and streaming movies priced together, each portion will be priced as a separate plan. For most users, this will increase the monthly bill by $6-10. Price changes will take effect September 1.

But wait, there`s more! »

Summer represents one of the most popular seasons to tie the knot, which means a number of us are celebrating anniversaries over the next several weeks. My husband and I celebrated six years together in mid-June, and we enjoyed a relaxing day full of good friends, good food and good weather. Since these were the very same components of our wedding day, it seemed an appropriate way to celebrate.

Planning a unique way to enjoy your anniversary without breaking the bank can be challenging, especially when you've been together for a number of years. Consider these seven ideas and remember that at the end of the day, it's all about recognizing the milestone and recommitting to one another.

Laugh

There are few activities as fun as laughing, and hopefully you and your spouse enjoy a good chuckle more often than not. Schedule some funny time on your anniversary by purchasing tickets to a local comedy club. Amateur nights are usually available for pretty cheap (and sometimes free), plus you can be among the first people to discover the next big thing.

But wait, there`s more! »

Cribs, rockers, changing tables, wall decor; oh the excitement of creating a cozy haven for your little one! It's a fun project to take on and to fill time while you wait for your new baby to arrive. However, before you start shelling out serious cash for your nursery, take some time and get creative with these money-saving tips.

1. Browse and create

Take your time and look at ideas online for the look and feel of your nursery. Pinterest is my all-time favorite resource for home decor and creative ways to repurpose items. Create your own Pinterest board and start collecting pictures of nurseries that you love and you'll see a recurring theme of design styles that you are drawn too. Once you've narrowed down your style and theme, look specifically for ideas that will bring that to life.

2. Shop online

Start building your nursery by finding those big furniture items first. I suggest starting with a crib and buy it new to ensure it meets all current safety requirements. Don't limit yourself to just what you see in the big box stores or baby boutiques, either. Instead, head online to sites like Hayneedle.com, where shipping is free on most items. You can also check FreeShipping.org for a list of online stores that offer free shipping on baby essentials, and grab a coupon code to save even more on your purchase.

But wait, there`s more! »

Every day, millions of kids carry their stuff to school in plastic grocery bags because they can’t afford a backpack.  One innovative way to tackle this problem is to put free backpacks or sackpacks into the hands of children who need them the most.  Suddenly, they’re just like other kids.  Suddenly, they have hope.

During the past 11 years, the Office Depot Foundation has provided more than 2.5 million backpacks to deserving children in local communities across North America and as far away as China through its National Backpack Program.

The Foundation will mark the 12^th anniversary of the program this year by giving away approximately 400,000 colorful new sackpacks containing essential school supplies – the most it has ever donated in a single year.  But while these numbers are very large, the sackpacks make an impact on a singular level − one child at a time.  Keep reading to learn more!

But wait, there`s more! »