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You Can Get A Free Caramel Macchiato With Starbucks' Hot & Cold Happy Hour

I don't know about you, but this winter weather really has me feeling some kind of way. Right now, it's a cool and rainy morning where I live and I do not want to come out from under the covers. I'm going to need all of the caffeine I can get to make it through the day. That's why I'm looking forward to Starbucks' Jan. 24 Happy Hour. This week's event features buy-one-get-one-free beverages for you and a friend. Or, if you're me, selfishly slurping down both brews for a healthy dose of caffeine.

The Happy Hour deals begin at 3 p.m. local time on Thursday, Jan. 24 at participating Starbucks stores nationwide. This week, Starbucks is offering free Frappuccinos and espresso-based drinks when you buy a second one of equal or lesser value. The deal doesn't apply to tall-sized drinks, only grande and venti. That's fine by me, though. I almost always order a grande or venti drink. Between you and me, I can suck down a tall coffee in no time. The deal is good on any Starbucks Frappuccino beverages, as well as espresso drinks like lattes, mochas, and macchiatos. I love that Starbucks is giving so many options, so you're not tied down to just one kind of drink during this specific Happy Hour promo.

There are a few exceptions to Starbucks' Happy Hour promotion. For starters, the BOGO promotion can't be used on brewed coffee, ready-to-drink beverages, or Starbucks Reserve drinks, according to the company. Additionally, you won't be able to combine the Happy Hour deal with any other codes or discounts that you may have received from Starbucks. Oh, and this one kind of goes without saying, but you can only use your BOGO Happy Hour code once. You'll have to wait until the next event to get down on another caffeinated Happy Hour deal.

There are a couple of ways that Starbucks drinkers can get in on the Happy Hour deal. The first and easiest way, IMO, is to visit the Starbucks Happy Hour website. In a matter of seconds, you can have a special Happy Hour code delivered right to your inbox. All you have to do is enter in a few quick bits of personal information like your name, valid email address, and zip code.

The second way takes a little longer but has a few more perks than just Happy Hour deals. I recommend this option if you have a few minutes to devote to signing up for a Starbucks Rewards Member account. If you already have one, this week's Happy Hour deal has already been preloaded to your account. To find the deal, click on the Inbox tab in the Starbucks app. The Happy Hour barcode should be one of the top items in your Messages folder in the Starbucks app. All in all, it's worth it to sign up for a Starbucks Rewards Member account because you'll always be one of the first to know about upcoming Happy Hour deals. Starbucks will even send a push notification to remind you about the coffee-filled event.

Like always, the Starbucks Happy Hour event is valid until the end of the day or whenever your local stores close. Most Starbucks locations are open until at least 9 or 10 at night. That's a little too late for me to be drinking coffee. I'll be stopping by toward the start of Happy Hour for a little afternoon pick-me-up.