If you are like most people, you probably don’t look forward to having to plan a loved one’s funeral. However, it’s important that you take charge of this process and get to know your options on time. If you fail to do this, you may wind up spending thousands of additional dollars.
Some helpful tips to ensure you can save money on a funeral for a loved one can be found here.
Shop Around for a Good Deal
It’s a good idea to call several funeral homes to get a price list of the services offered. By law, funeral homes like Lady Anne Funerals Sydney must provide itemized charges when this is requested. When a person has this list, they can compare costs easily. It’s also a good idea to ask for the cost of packaged services (if they are offered).
Consider Direct Burial
The least expensive option at most funeral homes is a direct burial. With this option, your loved one’s body is buried as soon after death as possible, without any visitation or embalming.
Choose a Simple Casket
A good funeral director is going to help a person find a casket for their loved one that adheres to any budget constraints they may have. Be sure to watch for any upselling, which includes a salesperson trying to convince you to purchase unnecessary or higher-priced items.
Consider Cremation
In many situations, cremation is a more affordable option for burial. More people are opting for this method today than ever before.
In fact, it’s estimated that by 2040, cremation is going to be used more than burial. This means that it’s not a fading trend, but instead, a new norm that has been set in motion due to the current generation’s preferences for their end-of-life needs.
Purchase Your Own Urn
Crematoriums and funeral homes will usually give family members the ashes of their deceased loved ones, which are called cremains, in a plastic box or bad. If you intend to scatter the ashes, urns are unnecessary.
However, if you want to keep the cremains at home, it’s important to purchase a container or urn. You can purchase these at the funeral home or the crematorium. Or, you can skip this extra expense and find a container or box at home.
Affordable options for a funeral
Choose a Green Burial
A “natural” or “green” burial is a much more affordable option as it lets you avoid having to use steel caskets and embalming chemicals, which aren’t biodegradable. There are only some areas that provide “natural burial grounds” so be sure to look into this first.
Have the Funeral at Home
A home funeral offers many benefits. You can do this to save money and handle several of the activities there. For example, you can hold the memorial service at home, prepare the body there, and hold a wake or visitation. You only need to look into ways of keeping the body cool before the burial.
Consider Using a Church for the Funeral
Choosing funeral director to have the funeral service at a synagogue, temple, mosque, or church is often more affordable than having it at the funeral home. However, the costs will vary, so be sure to call around to find out about prices.
Usually, the clergy members will provide officiating services at no charge. While this is true, it’s still a good idea to make some sort of monetary contribution to the church. The total amount that you give is left to your discretion.
Planning a Loved One’s Funeral
There’s no question that planning a loved one’s funeral can be a difficult and emotional process. However, if you have a limited budget, it can make this already difficult situation harder. Be sure to keep the information here in mind if you are tasked with planning a loved one’s family.
