Aug. 7--It's time for the annual back-to-school shopping battles; parents and budgets on one side, kids and schoolyard bragging rights on the other. If you're dreading the thought of store aisle tug-of-wars over the latest fashions and supplies, here's a revolutionary suggestion.

Just skip it.

Instead of heading for the mall, shop in cyberspace.

Michelle Madhok, founder of MomFinds.com, says shopping online can save money -- and your sanity.

"Do online 'window shopping' with your child, and get a sense of what he or she wants," advises Madhok. "Afterward, you can use search engines and coupon sites to find the best deals."

And deals are what parents are looking for, according to the National Retail Federation. The Federation's 2009 Back To School Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey revealed that parents will be spending less and bargain-shopping more than in years past.

"Americans will be looking far and wide for the best back-to-school deals, using newspaper ads, online promotion codes and a lot of comparison shopping before making decisions," says Phil Rist, executive vice president of strategic initiatives for BIGresearch, the company that conducted the survey.

Luckily, there are plenty of sites designed to help thrifty parents do just that. Search engine Pronto.com finds the best deals on kids' and teens' clothing from Nautica, Roxy, Candie's and other hot labels. At Rather-Be-Shopping.com, bargain hunters can find discount codes for more than 500 e-tailers, including Old Navy, the Gap, Aeropostale and American Eagle Outfitters.

In spite of the name, Cleverbabies.com posts the latest sale information, coupon codes and bargains on big-kid fashions as well as baby items. FreeShipping.org is a destination for online consumers seeking the no-charge shipping deals offered by close to 1,000 online retailers.

When it comes to teens, bargain brands can be a hard sell. Try such online stores as Zappos, (great selection of the latest footwear at good prices), Target.com (cheap and trendy, a killer combination for cash-strapped parents), Wetseal.com (OMG, deals like teen and 'tween girl's ink-art tees, two for $12, and cool jeans, buy-a-pair, get-a-pair-at-half-off), and UrbanOutfitters.com, (the chain offers URBN In Your Mobile service that sends special deals via text message to your high-schooler's cell). Charlotterusse.com is another allowance-friendly site for teenage girl fashions. Sign up for e-mail alerts, and you'll get 10 percent off your purchase.

(When you buy new stuff online, returns are inevitable.