Why Should I Purchase My Own Headstone Before I Pass?

There’s one thing that practically no one in the world ever wants to think about: death. People do not want to envision their own deaths because they have no concept of what to expect when that gloomy day arrives for them. However, purchasing a headstone in advance of one’s own death can have some benefits.

It’s Ready to Go

When a person dies, he or she is often put into a grave that is unmarked at the time. The simple fact is that most people are buried before the headstone can be engraved, so it might just be blank or not there at all. For people who are going into a family headstone, this issue may not be as severe. However, having a headstone and/or the engraving done mean a bit more closure for family members and friends.

The Expense of Headstones

While plenty of people know how expensive it is to live, they might not quite understand how pricey it is to die. Funerals, wakes, headstones, caskets and all of the rest cost quite a bit of money. Depending on what has been left to others and how quickly they are able to get it, those who are still living might have to cover quite a bit of the cost. Buying a headstone in advance relieves them of some of this financial pressure.

What It Says

Some headstones are quite simple, and they list the person’s name, date of birth and date of death. However, other individuals want to have a special message or a quotation written upon their headstone, and the only real way to make sure it is there is to have it made up before they pass away. Yes, they could ask family members to take care of it for them after their deaths, but grieving individuals sometimes do not remember all of the requests. When people pick out their own headstones before they pass away, they can at least be assured that the stone says what they want it to for all of eternity.

Some people might shy away from picking out a headstone because they think it helps to keep their own death from coming; however, this simply is not the case. Instead of being fearful about picking out headstones, individuals should start to consider the practicality of it and how it might help individuals close to them better deal with the grieving process and expenses.