Funeral on a budget

It is hard to be assertive when you are grieving, so I thought we would talk about the tabu subject of funerals in the respect that knowledge is power. Remember that you do not honor the dead by mortgaging your future to pay for a funeral, so having a budget is key. Here are some items that should give you food for thought.

1. If possible, plan ahead. Write your wishes down and put them where your family can find it, sorta like you would a will. Preparation like this can save painful arguments among survivors.
2. There are plans out there where you can pre-pay for your funeral, but how do your know the sellers will still be in business when you need it? I would consider buying a plot, but beyond that is a personal comfort level.
3. Decide where your priorities lie. It is easy to overspend, this will allow your to decide where the bulk of your budget should be spent.
4. Plan a funeral budget based on the money you have, not on the funds promised by others. We all hope that the expense will be split, but that is not guarantee it will actually happen. The only persons ability to pay you know about for sure is your own. Pressuring others into contributing can cause a lot of family arguments and drama, especially during the grieving period.
5. There is not a regulation regarding pricing for funerals, so shop around. If you have the time, do not make impulse decisions at that first meeting. Take the information, go home, read it, and compare pricing.
6. Embalming is optional. Most states do not require it, but funeral homes will lead you to think they do. Of course if you choose not to embalm, that shortens your timeline for burial.
7. Don't necessarily look for the lowest priced funerals home. Instead look for one that has a reputation for providing what they promise. It is always helpful to see if they are listed with the BBB.
8. If you can, have your visitation and service at another facility, besides the funeral home. This can be as simply as a church or community building. Be sure to check on the availability and if this is allowed with the facility you want to use. Funeral homes may lead you to believe that the facility won’t allow it, so check yourself, and you will know for sure.
9. The casket should be a purchase that allows the rest of the budget to happen. Once it is buried, you likely will not remember what it looks like and it is doubtful that the extra money you were pressured to spend is going to make you feel better about the death. Casket prices range from about $500 up to $10,000. If you are concerned about the appearance of a low-end casket at the viewing, consider casket rental for that portion.
10. Skip the family limo ride. This will not only cut expenses, but allow family members the luxury to decide how much time they would like to spend at the ceremony.
11. If your funeral home does not offer free programs, make your own. A template can easily be made on a home computer and taken to a copy store to have the copied onto professional paper.
12. Skip the pre-printed thanks you notes. A year from now nobody will remember what the thank you card looked like, so buy the cheap ones.
13. Consider cremation. Cremation is considerably cheaper than a traditional burial.
14. If choosing cremation, instead of buying an urn, use a sentimental vase or container.
15. If the deceased has ever served in the military, look into your burial benefits.
16. Have you thought about donating your body for science? Many donation organizations offer free cremation when you donate your body to science. The ashes are generally returned to the family later. There are also several new donation organizations that will provide all services for free, this includes removal from place of death, filing of the death certificate and all cremation fees and the ashes are returned within thirty days. These organizations will save you from having to pay a funeral home for their services.