Funeral service is one of the biggest purchases a person will make. People should take their time and not be pressured into buying funeral services that they don't need or want and that they may end up spending years to pay off. To help our customers to make smarter choices when negotiating for funeral arrangements, we recommends following a few guidelines:
Talk about funeral with family members ahead of time:
So that they all will aware of your wishes and you will know their wishes. If your plans are mentioned only in a will, the will may not be read until long after other arrangements have been made.
Price shop by phone or in person:
Price-shopping can saves you thousands of dollars. The funeral service in your neighborhood may be three times as expensive as one across town. By law, funeral services have to give you prices over the phone, or hand you a General Price List when you start talking about prices at the funeral service.
Only buy what you want:
If you are shopping for a funeral at the time of death take a friend with you, someone who will help you be sure you buy only what you want. Don’t buy more than you intended out of guilt. People often think that how much they spend is a demonstration of how much they love someone. Enjoy making your own traditions. A unique and personalized funeral observance is what others will remember.
Consider the “direct burial” or “immediate cremation” packages:
These plans are not necessitate buying grand caskets, embalming, cosmetic touch ups, or funeral services and processions. Cemetery space for cremated remains is generally less expensive than the space needed for a body burial. Cremated remains can be buried or scattered almost wherever you choose. Also, if you choose one of these options, you don’t need to use a local funeral service which might cost twice as much as the one in the next town.
Know the importance of the funeral:
There are a couple of reasons why funerals are important. The first is technical, funeral makes sure that a body is legally buried or cremated. The second reason is, it helps the family come to terms with the death. It is important to remember that a funeral is not for the dead, it is for the living.
Skip embalming. Embalming is not routinely required by law:
Some circumstances may hasty the need for embalming, but in no state is it necessary when burial or cremation is planned within a day or so.
Consider body donation to a medical school:
In some areas, there may be no cost to the family whatsoever. In some circumstances, the cost of transferring the body may be the only cost. Generally cremated remains will be send to the family within a year or two.
Some cemeteries may require a grave liner or vault, but not all:
There is no state law that does. If you prefer body burial, ask for a “grave liner” rather than a “coffin vault” at a fraction of the price. And again, be sure to shop around. The “outer burial container” is a way for morticians to increase their income and is an added burden on your funeral finances. With prices as much or more than caskets, remember that it is just a boxforthebox which gets quickly covered by the cemetery lawn.
