9/19/2017 By: Kathryn Hyer Emotions run high from the grief of losing a loved one, and planning a funeral often causes even more stress not only emotionally, but financially. Processing so many emotions in a short amount of time often causes family members to rationalize unnecessary funeral expenses. There are many ways to cut down on funeral expenses. Read below to learn how you can save money on funeral costs. Compare Funeral Home Costs Just because a funeral home is down the street from you, doesn’t necessarily mean that it’s the best option, or the most affordable. Try looking up different funeral homes in the area and comparing the cost, before making a quick decision and jumping ship. Doing your research on funeral homes will ultimately save you money in the long run. Consider All Of Your Casket Options After the death of a loved one, many aren’t in an emotionally stable place to make sound financial decisions. If possible, bring a close friend or family member with you to assist in making such decisions, specifically regarding a casket. Don’t be pressured into purchasing caskets with special features such as sealers or rubber gaskets. These features won’t prolong the decomposition of your loved one, and will ultimately add to your funeral costs. Most funeral homes allow you to provide a casket from a third-party provider. Some third-parties manufacture caskets as low as $400, compared to the average cost of a funeral home casket, ranging anywhere from $2,000-$10,000. Skip The Embalming Another way to save money on funeral costs is to skip the embalming process. While embalming is ideal for those wishing to have a public viewing of their loved one, it’s not a necessity in cases of cremation, or immediate burial. Skipping the embalming process could save you upwards of $700. Should you forgo embalming, you can inquire with the funeral home about the costs to refrigerate the body. Consider Cremation The average rate of cremation in the United states rose from 3.57% in 1960 to a staggering 48.6% in 2015, with that rate being forecasted to rise up to 54.3% in 2020, according to the National Funeral Director’s Association. More and more people are opting to choose cremation over traditional burial as a way to save money on funeral costs. The average cost of a direct cremation without any funeral services is anywhere between $1,100 and $4,000, compared to an average of $7,000-$10,000 for traditional burial. There are about 13 establishments nationwide that offer cremation for under $1,000, including Barton Funeral in Seattle. Should you choose to still have a ceremony, caskets may be rented from the...
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