As the recession continues online shopping habits are changing, with consumers increasingly turning to voucher codes in an effort to save money.

This is demonstrated at Google Trends, a tool which shows the popularity of certain search terms. A trend search for voucher codes shows the massive increase in the last 3 years of people searching for voucher codes online.

Since the beginning of 2007 the number of searches for 'voucher codes' has increased over 400%, with peaks during the Christmas shopping periods of 2008 and 2009. It shows the UK very much leading the way in searching for voucher codes (in the US they are referred to as coupon codes), and highlights Stevenage in Hertfordshire as being the epicentre of voucher code searches in the UK.

Are you from Stevenage? Is it the most money-saving town in Britain?

The very first money off coupon was created in 1887 by the Coca Cola Company, who gave out free coupons to their employees to distribute to their families. Within ten years, one in nine Americans had received a free drink through a complimentary coupon, putting Coca Cola, and money saving discounts, very firmly on the map.

And 58% of British shoppers said they used discount vouchers when Christmas shopping in 2009, according to a survey commissioned by website Voucher Hub. Get voucher codes and money saving tips from Money Saving Voucher Codes.