TIL how my haphazard grocery shopping used to bleed money before I adopted a strict budget

I was cleaning out my pantry and found expired items I bought on a whim, and it all came rushing back how I used to shop without a list or plan! Every trip to the store meant grabbing whatever looked good, leading to duplicate purchases and wasted produce that just rotted in the fridge. I'd easily drop $200 a week on groceries, only to still order takeout because I had no ingredients for actual meals. Now, I spend an hour each Sunday plotting meals and writing a detailed list, and I'm down to $80 a week without sacrificing quality! It's frustrating to realize how much cash I literally threw in the trash over those careless years. Seeing my savings grow from just this one change is incredibly motivating, though. I just wish I had embraced this structured approach way earlier, but hey, lesson learned!