The first thing we had to do was to start saving money. Well, it is not as though we were not saving any money before, but aside from 401k contributions and aggressively working to pay down our mortgage, we spent the excess exactly as we wanted.

In order to make the Five-Year Plan a reality, we would need to start watching our expenditures much more closely. Each potential purchase carried the weight of "do we really need this" and "will it still be useful in 5 years on a boat." It is amazing how many things do not meet those stringent criteria.

One of the first events to challenge this mantra took place when my coffee maker slowly faded into coffee maker heaven. I say "my coffeemaker" because Sheryl may have a cup on the weekends, but since I work from home (when I am not traveling) I make a pot for myself each and every day. The death of my morning companion was not a rapid process, but a slow and painful passing. First the heating plate element went out. Unwilling to let go, I began to pour the pot into a thermal carafe to keep it warm through the morning hours. The next phase involved a half-brewed pot. It would just stop brewing. Undaunted, I hit the power button and coaxed it to finish the brewing process. Soon two power-ups became three, then four. It was time to pull the plug. My friend's price tag made him an indulgence when I purchased him several years ago. The Cuisinart Grind and Brew may not have been cheap, but it did make mornings simple. I loaded it each night with beans and water and awoke to the smell of fresh ground coffee brewing downstairs.

Now comes the part which is relevant to the Five-Year Plan. We had to make a decision about how to replace my defunct grind and brew system. The convenience was such a wonderful thing, but was the price of a new one worth it? Sheryl explored various options (she is a whiz at any researching task), including purchasing a refurbished grind and brew system. In fact, we went as far as ordering and unpacking one, a shiny chrome beacon on our white kitchen counter. Guilt over the expense got to me; though, and in the end we sent it back. In lieu of a fancy system, I went the cheapest route possible: a simple $10 coffee maker, $10 coffee grinder, and an old timer from a dusty box in our garage (one formerly used to turn on/off a lamp automatically). I now grind my own beans the night before, and awake to that wonderful smell, at less than a fraction of the cost. And, guess what? The coffee tastes even better, may my old friend and co-worker rest in peace.