Funerals can be one of life’s biggest expenses—the average funeral cost being between $7,000 to $9,000. Oftentimes, people avoid thinking ahead about the expenses. They are too overwhelmed with grief to undertake comparison shopping just after a loved one’s demise.
But there are lots of ways to reduce your costs and still deliver an honorable funeral:
Choose cremation over burial
Burial costs tend to mount up quickly. Here are some rough estimates:
Cemetery plot: $1,500
Casket: $2,000
Burial vault: $1,000
Headstone; $1,500
This adds up to around $6,000 without factoring in services from the funeral home. However, the average cremation costs about $2,000, with the potential of costing less if you can find packages under $1,000.
Get price lists from different funeral homes
Funeral home prices can vary drastically for the same services, and many don’t publish their prices on their site. Call a few local funeral homes and ask them to send you their general price lists via email to better inform your decision-making. This will ensure that you’re getting a good value.
Choose direct cremation or a speedy burial
If you feel you don’t need to have a viewing or service with the corpse present, direct cremation or instant burial may be a great way to save a few bucks. These services are usually offered by funeral homes and are usually the most basic cremation and burial options they offer. The package also covers the body’s pickup and transport, basic preparation, and filing of necessary paperwork. Crematory or cemetery fees may come with additional charges.
Donate the body to science
Donating the cadaver to science is a way to minimize costs while contributing to medical research and training. Most university anatomical donation initiatives cover transportation and cremation costs upon use, which will save you thousands of dollars. If you donate the body to science, you can still collaborate with a funeral home, but it’s not compulsory.
Rule out embalming
Embalming, a procedure used to slow down the decomposition of the dead body, is rarely required and costs around $730 on average, according to the National Funeral Directors Association. By ruling out embalming, you also contribute to environmental sustainability by reducing the amount of formaldehyde deposited to the ground.
The best way to find areas to save burial costs is to do more research. Filter out unnecessary expenses, get creative with alternatives, and look for various platforms. If you have any lingering questions or want to navigate more options or allay all peculiar concerns you may have, reach out to a progressive company like Senior Life Services. Contact us today at 800-548-3249.
