• The Associated Press, Tuesday, March 17, 2009 10 AM

A growing number of Americans in this economic downturn are clipping coupons from newspapers and in-store circulars and finding them online. Coupon use rose 15% in the last three months of 2008, compared to 2007, say researchers at Valassis, one of the top coupon companies.

In a typical year, Americans redeem $3 billion worth of coupons, with fewer people being embarrassed to pull out albums choked with coupons for various household goods. "There's less negative stigma attached to coupon use during slower economic times," says Ron Larson, marketing professor at Western Michigan University. Nearly 57% of consumers in December said they were once self-conscious about using coupons but no longer care, per ICOM Information.

In particular, manufacturers of brand-name food products bought about 5% more coupons in the fourth quarter of 2008 to promote their goods because more people were eating at home to save money, says Suzie Brown, Valassis chief of marketing.

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