This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at PSU chapter.

H&M is one of my favorite clothing stores, and I’m not just saying this because I work there. As a college student, I have very little money to spend on clothing, which makes H&M so great (the employee discount doesn’t hurt either)! They carry nice clothes at reasonable prices, and GIRL, have you seen those sales? AMAZING! Now, I have some information for you and what you should know before breaking out the big bucks at your local H&M.

1. Can’t find what you’re looking for?

Ask a team member when the truck days are for that specific store. Most stores have two days a week when new products come in, so perhaps it’ll show up before you know it! Also, if you download the H&M app in the app store, you can scan the tag of an item in store, and it will pop up with more colors and sizes if they are available online!

2. Clearance!

Once it is on sale, it is on sale FOREVER. Our sale items are marked down once, then they stay the same price or continue to get cheaper until they are gone. Plus, if it is on sale, that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with it. Sometimes they just are not top selling items or there are way too many in stock. So, make sure you always check the sale sections first, you never know what great deals you can find!

3. Why doesn’t my size fit me?

From personal experience and from hearing it around, I know that H&M sizes usually run a little small, so you may want to pick up a size larger than you would normally wear. This may not seem like a big deal, but it would be good to know ahead of time, especially if you don’t have time to try it on in the store!

4. Got any coupons?

Unfortunately, H&M does not run any weekly coupons or circulars. However, a great way to always ensure a great discount is to take in a bag of old, recycled clothing. I:CO is a program run by H&M where old clothing is donated and taken either to third-party retailers such as Goodwill or the Salvation Army, or stripped down into new fabrics and reused. If you plan to donate a bag, make sure you have between 3-5 items (usually enough to fill up a grocery sized bag), and you will receive a 15% OFF COUPON TO USE ON YOUR NEXT PURCHASE!

5. Okay, but any more deals?

Okay, I know you always want more deals. You’ll be happy to know that if you sign up for H&M’s email list, you receive 20 percent off one item (one time only)! Okay, that’s all the deals — seriously.

6. Alright, maybe I wasn’t serious.

Always check online for coupons. Most of the time there’s something going on, such as 20 percent the whole purchase, etc.

7. Moving on — you cheapskates. It’s all about the Basics.

Basics with a capital B. That’s right! Ladies Basics, Divided Basics and Men’s Basics are all the rage. I, personally, love the Men’s Basics (even though I am a woman), because they’re so comfortable! Also, its 2017, who cares if I’m wearing men’s clothing! ANYWAY, most of the t-shirts start at $5.99, and sweatpants start at $12.99. They are all so comfortable and soft. Speaking of, I’m going to put my sweatpants on now…

8. Now that I changed my pants, let’s talk about drying them.

H&M clothes have a tendency to shrink in the dryer, as do other clothes. I am a fan of hang-drying my clothing regardless if it is from H&M or not, but if that’s not something you’re into, I would steer clear of cotton items. However, if you don’t mind hang-drying some clothing, then you’re good to go!

9. Almost done! How about that makeup?

You know, I was very hesitant to try H&M’s makeup. It is very rarely ever talked about and is pretty cheap, so it was a bit scary to trust at first. I have tried a few products, including the eyebrow trio, nail polish, and eyelash curler — they’re surprisingly my favorites! I use the eyebrow trio almost every day when getting ready. It’s cheap, easy to use, and doesn’t require much effort at all. The nail polish is also to die for! I use only H&M nail polish anymore (which might be because it’s all I own at this point) and it lasts forever. The point is, don’t knock it until you try it!

10. Okay, last point.

I lied, this isn’t really a tip, trick or another point. I just needed to have 10 numbers to make my brain happy.

With all of that said… happy shopping, collegiettes!

Photo: Her Campus PSU Photographer

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