According to a new survey conducted by independent research firm Toluna and released today byBuy.com, 40 percent of moms are planning to spend the minimum for back-to-school season, citing a tough economy as the reason to buy less. While all parents are cautious about spending this year, the survey also found that the majority (63 percent) of parents are excited about back-to-school shopping, with one third saying they love school supplies and this is their favorite time of year.

The survey of more than 350 parents found that one unlikely group is bucking the minimal spending trend – dads. While dads traditionally dislike shopping and 36 percent consider back-to-school shopping a "necessary evil," kids may want to encourage dad to go back-to-school shopping, since 22 percent of dads plan to spend more this year, with an average planned spend of$210for dads vs.$171for moms.

Back-to-school shopping is in full swing - the survey found that one third of parents who consider themselves early-bird shoppers have already started. The majority of parents (58 percent) consider themselves middle-of-the-pack, starting a few weeks before school begins, and another 11 percent of parents wait until the last minute and squeeze it in days before the first day of school. Additional findings from the survey include:

• Wallets are Thin:The majority of parents (82 percent) will be spending the same or less than last year on back-to-school shopping, leaving only 18 percent spending more than previous years.
• Clothes Preferred over Supplies:More than half (52 percent) of moms are most excited about picking out clothing and shoes, as opposed to the basic school supplies (25 percent), backpacks/lunchboxes (11 percent), art equipment (10 percent) or electronics (three percent).
• Dreaded Time of Year:A third (28 percent) of parents referred to back-to-school shopping as a "necessary evil," and 10 percent said, "I'd rather be doing anything else."

"Whether parents love back-to-school shopping or it is just something they have to do, we try to make the process as painless and easy as possible," said Neel Grover, CEO and president of Buy.com. "We designed our back-to-school store for all parents, teachers and students, making it simple and convenient to find everything they need for elementary school students to college students, without having to leave the comfort of home."

The Buy.com back-to-school store is a one-stop online destination, offering specific school-related sections for all ages including:

• Elementary School Fun:With 43 percent of parents and nearly half of moms (49 percent) planning to spend the most on elementary school students this year, Buy.com makes it easier than ever to find everything they need in the "Elementary School" store, including crayons, markers, erasers and more.
• Middle School Rocks:The first day of middle school can be overwhelming for students, but Buy.com makes shopping fun with plenty of deals in the Buy.com "Middle School" store, which features a selection of binders, folders, backpacks and dictionaries.
• High School Forever:A third of dads plan to spend the most on high school students this year - Buy.com helps make life easier with the "High School" store, featuring necessities from scientific calculators to flash and hard drives and more.
• College Cool:As a testament to parents believing their children are ready to leave the nest, only one in 10 respondents plans to spend the most on college students this year. Buy.com makes it easy to save money in the new "College" store featuring an array of gadgets and electronics at low prices even college students can afford.
• For the Love of Teachers:For the catalyst of the classroom - teachers - Buy.com offers an entire "Teachers" store featuring maps, bookshelves, dry erase markers and more.