Tombstones, or headstones, come in all shapes, sizes, and materials. If someone you love has passed away suddenly and unexpectedly, you probably cannot afford the tombstone you wanted for him/her. That is perfectly okay because you can always "trade up." Here is how.

Buy What You Can Initially Afford

The idea is to just mark the spot where your loved one rests. You know that he/she is there, and right now, that is all that really matters. That said, buy the marker you can afford. A simple memorial cross made of wood is okay. If you can afford a little more, a tiny granite headstone works too. When you are ready, you can put a bigger headstone on the grave and remove the smaller marker.

Layaway the Headstone You Want

Some funeral homes and gravestone companies allow you to select your headstone and put it on a layaway or monthly payment plan. If that is an option where you live, do that. The monthly payments will allow you to pay for the marker you want, a little bit every month until you have paid for it in full. Then the stone is inscribed and shipped to the funeral home or to your home. You can then replace the previous grave marker you had with this new headstone/tombstone.

Replacing the Smaller Marker

Because the graveyard keepers have to have an advance warning of what is happening to a grave and changes to the marker, you will need to arrange this with them in advance. The keepers may even be able to help swap out the smaller marker for the new one. If it is just a simple cross, you can pull that up to place the new stone. If you are replacing the small granite headstone, it will need to be dug up. This is why the keepers need to know what you will be doing so that you are not arrested for decimating a grave site.

If the New Headstone Is Really Large, Get Help

If the new headstone you have selected for your loved one's grave is especially large, make sure you get some help to move it and position it. This might require a small crane or some sort of mechanical lift so that the new headstone does not fall and break before it is placed. Make sure this is the headstone you want there for the rest of time, or you may be trading up tombstones again and have to repeat this process.

To learn more, contact a company like Maurice Moore Memorials.