I just finished making my shopping list.

And, for the first time in a long time, I’ve clipped coupons to go with it.

If you haven’t heard, couponing is ‘in’ again. The economy is, of course, pushing us to it. Jobs are iffy, the market is down, and money is scarce. Leftovers are again a prized commodity, and throwing food away is wasteful.

I estimate that on today’s shopping bill I’ll save at least $30 in direct coupons, plus taking advantage of in-store sales and bonus buys. Plus, by shopping at a store where I have a ‘rewards card,’ I’ll be racking up points for additional coupons and freebies in the future.

And, coupons aren’t just for grocery shopping. My husband’s the keeper of our restaurant coupons – in recent week’s we’ve enjoyed a buy-one, get-one-free at both Ruby Tuesdays and TGI Fridays. We have several yet to use – they at least offer enough to offset the tip, giving new justification for eating out instead of at home!

The downside of coupons is using them for products you don’t need. That’s why the rewards programs work – they follow your buying habits and send you dollars off on what they know you’ll buy. It’s how I’m getting a free box of cereal, for example.

If you need help finding coupons that work for you, you can read about coupon swapping parties, or visit Coupons.com, where it’s free to download your choice of coupons.