If you are in charge of planning a funeral and have found yourself worrying about the cost of it all, you will want to take a few moments to review the following pieces of advice.
Consider Asking For Donations
There is nothing wrong with turning to friends and family in a time of need by asking for some donations to help offset some of the cost of the funeral. There are several ways you can do this. You can set up an online donation account that can be posted to various social media pages in hopes of grabbing as much attention as possible. You can also ask the funeral home director to assist you with gathering some donations. If and when anyone calls the funeral home for directions or an address for the delivery of flowers, the funeral director can advise that the family would appreciate cash donations instead of flowers in order to help cover the expense of the burial.
Cut The Funeral Short
Instead of planning a funeral that is going to include several days of viewing, you will want to consider cutting it short a little. This means only having one day of viewing, since you are actually being charged for each day that you are reserving the viewing room. Just make sure that you are taking a moment to let all of your friends and family know that this one day will be the only day for a viewing, so they do not miss it thinking that there will be one the following day. A post on social media or including this information in the newspaper obituary is a good way to do this.
Schedule A Cremation
Instead of a burial in a cemetery plot, you may want to consider having your loved one cremated. This is a much more affordable option because you do not have to purchase a casket, burial plot, or headstone. You may someday want to purchase a special urn to keep the ashes in, but that purchase can be delayed if you are short on cash, as the funeral director will present the ashes to you in a box that they can stay in. Do not make the mistake of assuming that just because you opt for a cremation that friends and family will not be able to pay their final respects. Most funeral homes have caskets that can be rented so everyone will have a chance to pay their final respects before the cremation.
With just those three suggestions in mind, you should be able to save a substantial amount of money. If you need further assistance, you can always ask for advice from the funeral director, as he or she may have additional money-saving ideas for you. To learn more, contact a funeral home like Jones Funeral Home and Crematory.
Share28 July 2016
When my father passed away a year ago, my mother didn't have any problems with the funeral or burial. My father planned his funeral in advance. He didn't want to burden my mom with any problems during her time of grieving. That hit me. I realized that I didn't have any plans for my own future, which would make it even harder on my wife and kids. So, I contacted a funeral home online and requested information about burial services. The funeral home provided me with many options that I could afford to pay over time or upfront. My wife also helped select burial plots for us because we didn't want to be separated — even after death. I encourage you to read through my blog. It offers great tips and advice on how to plan for your own future. Don't wait. You never know what life holds for you.