I remember a phone conversation I had with my dad on Jan. 15, 1991. His 47th birthday was the day before and I had forgotten to call him. It was also the first day of the first Gulf War. As I sat on the floor of my college dorm hallway on the community phone, we talked a lot about the “shock and awe” campaign we were witnessing on the news. We also talked about our usual: cars (mine just died), Cleveland sports (dismal), and the Cleveland weather (even more dismal.)

That was our last conversation. Three days later my dad died of a massive heart attack.

My older sister Stacey and I flew to Cleveland the next day. I remember so many details about those few days. My sister and uncle picked out my dad’s gravesite as I couldn’t bring myself to go. Phone calls from my dad’s friends telling me stories about how proud my dad was of me. The biggest floral arrangement of blue carnations that ironically were from my dad’s employer K-Mart. (We called it the “blue-light-special.”)

My dad had wanted to be cremated, but my Catholic grandparents chose to have him buried instead. The funeral cost more than $11,000 (over $25,000 in today’s dollars!) because my grandparents only wanted “the best” for their youngest son. Of course, this was paid from the insurance proceeds that dad left Stacey and me. So as a 19-year old I paid for a very big party for my Italian family—most of whom I had never met before.

I now realize my dad did a good job creating his estate plan. He had a Will and life insurance. The only thing he didn’t plan for was his funeral.

So on Black Friday more than a decade ago, my husband and I went to Mountain View Funeral Home in Queen Creek where we planned and paid for our funerals. It might seem like a strange holiday purchase, but I had learned how important that piece of an estate plan really is.

Plus, I’m frugal. I got to lock-in 2013 prices. My family won’t spend an excessive amount on a funeral because they are purchasing something on emotion.

I encourage you to pre-plan your funeral. It can be emotionally overwhelming, but trust me, your family will appreciate this final gift. It may be the difference between a good estate plan and a great one.