Lazy Girl Birthday Hack: How I Sent a Publix Cake for Under $15
Lazy Girl Birthday Hack: How I Sent a Publix Cake for Under $15
I needed a quick, thoughtful birthday surprise for my mother‑in‑law… without spending a fortune. One Instacart search later, I accidentally discovered one of my best Lazy Girl hacks.
P.S. If you’re new here, this post is part of my Lazy Girl Series — simple, smart hacks that make life easier using the perks you already have. 👉 See the full Lazy Girl Series here.
🎂 The Hack
I opened Instacart, searched Publix, found a beautiful birthday cake, added a tip, and watched my Chase credit apply automatically.
When the total refreshed?
Cake + delivery + a $5 tip = under $15.
Lazy Girl note: A few of my Chase cards come with monthly Instacart credits. Instead of paying full price for the Publix cake, I used those credits — which knocked more than $25 off my order.
If you’re not sure whether your cards come with Instacart credits, you can check your cards against the list on this page.
This post contains both my personal referral link and my affiliate link. If you choose to use either one, I may earn a small reward or commission at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting No Point Left Behind — and for letting me share the systems that genuinely make life easier.
🧾 Deal Breakdown: How the Total Came to Under $15
Cake receipt
Here’s exactly how the numbers worked out on my Instacart order:
Publix birthday cake
Delivery fee covered by my Instacart membership
$20 off thanks to a credit from my Chase Business Card
Added a $5 tip
Chase Instacart credit automatically applied at checkout
Final total: under $15.
If you want to check whether your cards come with Instacart credits, you can look them up here:
👉 https://www.instacart.com/p/chase-cobrands
This page shows every Chase card that includes monthly Instacart benefits, so you’ll know instantly whether you already have free money waiting.
💡 Why This Hack Works So Well
Because it solves a real problem:
You want to send something thoughtful
You don’t live nearby
You don’t want to spend $50+ on bakery delivery
You already have Instacart credits sitting there
And here’s the part that really resonated with people:
That’s when it hit me: Using your credits isn’t just convenient… it’s smart.
💡 Bonus Lazy Girl Tip
You can do this same hack with DoorDash grocery credits too. If you have a card like the Chase Sapphire Reserve, you get a monthly DoorDash credit that works on grocery delivery — not just restaurant orders.
So if Publix (or your local store) is on DoorDash instead of Instacart, you can:
pick out a cake
add a tip
apply your monthly credit
and send a birthday surprise for little to nothing out of pocket
Same idea, same savings, same thoughtful “I ’m-not-even-in-town” magic.
✨ The Lazy Girl Philosophy in Action
This hack checks every box:
uses perks you already have
saves money
saves time
makes you look thoughtful
works even when you’re out of town
zero stress, zero planning
Lazy Girl rule: Use the systems you already have to make life easier, cheaper, and more fun.
🔗 Want to Try It?
If you have a Chase card with Instacart credits, check your account — you might already have free money waiting.
Here’s my personal Instacart referral link if you want to try it out: 👉 https://inst.cr/t/52a9a25e4
⭐ Related Posts You’ll Love
If this Lazy Girl hack made your life easier, here are a few more reader favorites:
• 7 Credit Card Mistakes Beginners Make The most common slip‑ups (and how to avoid them) when you’re just getting started.
• Lazy Girl Travel Hacks: Easy, low‑effort tricks that make travel smoother without spending more.
• Real Life Stacks I’ve Done: Actual examples of how I stack offers, credits, and points in everyday life.
