How You Can Save on Funeral Expenses

I know funeral costs sounds like a morbid topic, but unfortunately death is one of those expenses that we can't really prepare for, and when a loved one dies, you may be hit with a tremendous bill that you weren't expecting. In my culture, preparing for your funeral in advance is actually considered a good luck charm for a long life... Here's some thoughts from a reader.

It isn’t often that you find yourself paying for something that you're most probably not going to have to pay for again in your entire life, however, that doesn't mean that costs like those won't eventually come around. The most common one of these payments happens to be the cost of a funeral.

Thinking about how grim and sad death can be, it can also seriously hurt a wallet if it's not equipped with the knowledge of how to save costs on the funeral. Funerals can cost anywhere from $5000-$20,000, and if something happens to you or any of your loved ones, you'll need to be prepared with those costs beforehand.


Here Are 5 Ways You Can Cut Down On Some Funeral Costs:


You Don’t Really Need Embalming

If you're considering a traditional burial, then you'll be surprised when you hear about a wide variety of extra costs that you may seem inclined to do, like embalming. Embalming is the process of preserving the body and prolonging its decomposition, however, it costs an average of $700 and isn’t required by the law in most states. If you're having the funeral at a quick time after the passing, then simply asking for the option of refrigerating the body instead of embalming can save you hundreds of dollars that you can potentially put towards other funeral costs. You should also think about whether it's even useful or not because if you're not having an open casket then it wouldn’t serve many purposes.

Reconsider The Flower Selection

Having flowers at the service can feel like the right thing to do, but selecting those flowers is often an overlooked process. Funerals are a difficult time for everyone, and picking the best flowers may be what you'd want to do, but it isn’t always what your wallet can afford. Try going for either a smaller flower collection that isn’t so expensive or consider replacing the flowers with other substitutes like framed pictures or candles. The people attending are bound to get some flowers with them anyway, so you don’t have to worry about not having enough of them around.

Remember To Think About Cremation

It may vary from culture to culture, but cremation is still an extremely viable option for reducing funeral costs. If you're worried about leaving your family with an extremely large bill for a funeral, you can always let them know that you'd prefer to be cremated. You'll be removing the cost of embalming and also the casket. It costs an average of $2000 for cremation in comparison to the $5000 plus you'll be paying for a traditional burial. Knowing these numbers is important for both you and your loved ones, as adding a surprisingly expensive amount onto a grieving person’s mind is the last thing you'd want to happen.

If a cremation is what you want, you can put aside the money in preparation for your death. It doesn’t have to be in a funeral plan if you’re worried about the small print. You can put aside money in a savings account and the money will enter into part of your estate when you pass. Your family will need to hire estate attorneys who can ensure the funeral costs are paid for with the money left as part of your estate and won’t have the added stress of paying for it themselves.

Explore All Your Options, Before Purchasing a Casket or an Urn

Whether you're thinking of a regular burial or cremation, you'll require certain things like a casket or a cremation urn. If you're going with cremation then you'll need to ask yourself if you want the urn to be engraved or be made out of a specific material like wood or metal. This begs the question of how much does a cremation urn cost and it highly depends on what you're going to choose. Exploring what you specifically want along with where you're going to get it from is the key to getting the urn you want without spending tons of money. The same goes for caskets as you'll need to put in a good amount of research before deciding on one. Some people decide to purchase and store them somewhere in case something happens to them.

Carefully Select The Venue

Where you want to have the funeral plays a huge role in how much you'll be paying for it. You'll need to look up how much it costs to have it in the areas around you, as the prices can drastically differ, even from neighborhood to neighborhood. Compare prices and check the best option for your budget. An extra option is to have a memorial service at your own home, as that wouldn’t cost a thing and would still feel very personal and intimate.

Topics like these are difficult to discuss within the tragic times when a loss is experienced, that’s why they should be spoken about before you're faced with an unexpected situation. Being caught by surprise with all these costs can be extremely stressful for either you or your loved ones, so preparing for it before it happens by either setting up a bank fund or having the allocated amount always prepared can be extremely helpful.