The average cost of a funeral in the United States is about $7000 and it can be a huge burden on a deceased person’s family. This is the reason; funerals are considered one of the largest expenses in everyday life. However, there are several ways one can reduce the overall costs of a funeral service. As people avoid thinking about death and the expenses associated with it, they are likely to spend lots of bucks on funerals as they are not in the mood of comparing available options right after the death of a loved one. To help grieving families in planning funerals on a budget, we have listed some surefire tips for cheap funerals to honor the lives of special persons without spending much.
Understand what’s Involved in Funerals
To effectively plan a funeral service, you should learn and understand all the important things involved in the whole process. There are different options you can choose like cremation, burial, embalming, a DIY funeral ceremony, or hiring services of a funeral home. One should learn the basic things involved in a funeral and ask for the will of the deceased person if any. This helps you get started effectively to plan a funeral and memorial services accordingly without breaking the bank.
Plan in Advance, but don’t Make Advance Payments
No one likes to talk about death. And they also don’t think about funeral expenses (which are increasing day by day). But financial experts suggest ahead of time planning for funerals to protect families from the financial burden of funeral arrangements. There are different ways you can plan for funeral costs in advance and save money to protect your family from financial burden when you are not more. Buying a funeral insurance plan, and opening a ‘payable on death’ account are some of the best options to set aside some money for your funeral in your life. However, you must avoid making advance payments to funeral homes and other organizations until you are not sure about their credibility.
Get Price Lists from Different Funeral Homes and Compare
Prices of services offered by funeral homes can vary even for the same services in the same locality. That’s why make sure to get price lists from different funeral homes along with services offered and compare them all to choose an affordable one. Some online platforms and websites also allow users to compare funeral services and costs to help them make informed decisions. This is the best way to save bucks on funeral arrangements without compromising the quality of services.
Choose Direct Cremation or Immediate Burial
If there is no need to have a service with the body present, then opting for a direct cremation or instant burial is a good idea to plan a funeral on budget. Some funeral homes offer affordable burial packages that cover the cost of transportation and other basic things to make the funeral service affordable but of quality as well. They just avoid unnecessary services and things to keep the costs as lower as possible.
Avoid of Embalming
Embalming is the process of adding some chemicals to a dead body with the intention to slow down the decomposition process. Some families opt for this process when they want to keep the dead body for some days. The average cost of embalming is around $700. And you can save this amount by avoiding embalming if there is no need of a service with body present. Some funeral homes ask families for embalming just to increase the bill. If they force you to do so, just skip their services and opt for another service provider with a better offer.
Choose a free Venue for the Funeral Service
Funeral homes tend to charge hundreds of dollars to use their facilities and staff for a funeral ceremony. And you can save those dollars by choosing a free venue like a community park or a local playground to keep the funeral costs minimum. You can hold the ceremony in your backyard or opt for your place of worship like a church. This is the best way to save money on funerals and reduce the financial burden on the family.
Conclusion
Planning a funeral is a process full of grief. But proper planning is always required to save bucks on funeral expenses. Comparing different funeral home services packages is the best way to choose an affordable plan. You can also use a funeral planning tool to identify things that matter most and what you can skip to keep the costs lower.
