Thrift shopping can be overwhelming. You walk into a thrift store full of style inspiration only to encounter racks and racks of slightly musty-smelling clothes. Of course, that comes with the territory. This isn’t Sak’s Fifth Avenue after all. Yet at times, it can be frustrating trying to find pieces that will work for your wardrobe. Here are my top tips on how to thrift better and save some money along the way.

1. Go in with an open mind

You'll soon find that there are a lot of pieces in thrift stores that, at first glance, you think you'd never wear. Give some of those pieces a shot! Sometimes, you end up with really unique items that you'd never have tried otherwise. Remember, thrifting is definitely an adventure. Open yourself up to new horizons and have fun with it.

2. Don't give up after one rack.

You are not going to find your new favorite vintage denim jacket in just one sweep. You're going to have to dig. And dig. And dig. For a solid amount of time. Finding really great gems takes time and patience. Don't let yourself get overwhelmed after your first rack.

3. Try everything on.

Sometimes while thrifting, you encounter brands that you've never heard of before. Their sizing can be a lot different than what you'd get at a Forever 21. Sometimes a size 8 can be really huge or really small on me, depending on who made it. To be safe, it's always worth trying things on if you can to be sure of sizing.

4. Don't buy something you won't wear.

This goes for pretty much any time you shop, but it's especially dangerous while thrifting. Sometimes I'll buy pieces that I know I'll never wear just because the price is amazing or it looks great on me in the dressing room. Of course, it doesn't really matter since thrifted clothes are generally less expensive. But, for a first-year college student, those wasted dollars add up, especially when you can't return items.

5. Keep track of discounts and sales.

Thrift store sales are amazing. You can get already low price clothing for an even lower price. Goodwill has a 50% off sale every day for a colored tag of the week. Goodwill also offers 20% for students on Tuesdays. Many thrift stores often mark down prices as the week goes on in order to get ready for restocking. Keep an eye out for the discounts in your local store; you can end up saving a lot of money.

Happy thrifting, guys!