Losing the life of someone special or a beloved family member is an awfully difficult incident to cope with. Not only this but coping with the death of someone we also need to deal with the funeral services costs that can run from $3000 to $9000 or higher. In simple words, it is getting more costly to die, day by day. But even the least funerals costs, flying around $5,000 are more than some families can afford with fewer financial resources. As the considerable cost of a funeral depends on a variety of aspects that you and your family can choose, there are several ways to cut the funeral bill and having an accurate idea about the expenses associated with funeral services can help you shop for a funeral economically.
Someone who has helped a family member or any other individual in arranging a funeral can have an idea about how much a funeral arrangement can cost. Even if someone is about to shop for one with a plan at the place, several funeral related elements, add-ons, and non-compulsory things can add a significant amount of bucks to the total funeral expenses. Some people are aware of all the things associated with a funeral or burial but many of them shop for a funeral quickly with slight or no knowledge about the essentials. Whether you are aware of all funeral costs or not and worried about how to save money while arranging one, this comprehensive funeral service planning guide can help you cut the bill unbelievably.
What you need for a Funeral
Things are getting expensive day by day and there are a lot of things to be considered for a funeral. That is the reason, having a close estimate of funeral costs is a tricky task. You may need several things such as services, casket, vault, embalming, headstone, and gravesite, etc. to plan a funeral accordingly. All these things can cost almost $9000 maximum as mentioned above. The grieved family may also feel a financial burden when the funeral service providers ask for the full payment in one go. Thus, preplanning can come in handy in such situations.
Since there are many ways that can help one manage the funeral costs efficiently and purchase what’s referred to as a burial insurance policy. Robert Schmidt of Burial Insurance Pro says that “many people can benefit from having their final expenses be covered by an insurance policy. This policy pays out a specified death benefit at the time of death. Families can then use this tax-free death benefit to meet the costs that come at the end of one’s life.” These are the insurance providers who pay the policy amount to the beneficiary to help them meet the funeral costs without getting out of budget or applying for an instant loan.
Go through this blog post to have an idea about the average cost of a funeral and different ways to cut the bill.
On another hand, cremation during the day time and picking up a cheaper slot can help you reduce the cost. You can opt for early morning or a weekend slot to keep the funeral costs minimum. In the case of burials, there is usually a march to the cemetery for the burial of the body when the services are performed at the funeral home.
Choose Direct Cremation
One should choose direct cremation as it is an obvious and less expensive option. When a death occurred, usually the dead body is transferred into the custody of a funeral home and then sent to the crematorium for cremation. All the services are performed after the cremation and casket is also not required. But a cardboard cremation container is needed and then all the cremated remains are returned in the box. People who opt for cremation, normally bury the remains in days to come after the funeral. Choosing the direct cremation can save a lot of bucks and one can cost almost $1000 by choosing the cremation instead of burial.
The Cost of Caskets?
The casket is considered as one of the expensive aspects of a funeral service. These are available in different styles and sizes that one can choose as per the available budget. Most caskets are sold by funeral homes and used for their visual appeal to make the grieved family feel comfortable. Cost of Caskets available in funeral homes can higher than that local market. These days, a lot of showrooms and sales points can be found online to save a considerable amount of money while shopping for one. A Casket costs $2500 to $6000 on average.
Hold a Memorial Service
By holding a memorial service, the grieved family can cut the bill because casket is not required for the memorial but a traditional funeral requires. Not only casket but other things like the fee of staff required can also add up many bucks into the total cost of a funeral. As an alternative, hold a memorial service after the cremation has happened. Remains can be collected in a container or urn. A backyard or a public park could be the best venue for a memorial to prevent other expenses too.
Cost of Embalming
Embalming is usually required for open-casket services when the body is being transferred interstate. It is not essential in many states but one may need an embalming or refrigeration process in case the body is not buried sooner after the death or a period of time specified for burial. You can save almost $300—500 if embalming is not the legal requirement in your state. This money can be spent on other essentials to shop for the funeral services in the best way.
What if you opt for flowers?
Flowers are an integral part of the funeral as they express the sympathy and make the grieved family feel comfortable. Flowers are a tradition too. Mostly, friends and other family members bring flowers with them when attending a funeral or memorial. By accepting these flowers for a funeral, you can reduce the overall funeral cost up to $500. So, welcome friends and other persons coming to the funeral with flowers as they are the sign of respect to the deceased person.
Grave Markers and Headstones
As a grave marker or headstone is one of the necessary things for the funeral, one should opt for a plain and flat one instead of a custom monument. By doing so, a grieved family can save a couple of hundred dollars to manage funeral services without getting out of money. Getting custom monuments or statues designed can cost almost $4000+ which is a big amount for middle-class families.
Do you need a wreath?
No doubt beautifully made protuberant floral arrangements are nice to have on a funeral and normally used to place near the casket on a frame, you can buy an economical one to reduce the overall funeral service costs. These can be purchased in different shapes like crosses, circles, and hearts that one can choose as per individual interests. Wreaths can cost from $200 to $350 according to the design and shape.
