When my grandmother passed away, I was astonished to learn that I had been named the executor of her estate. After splitting up her belongings amongst my aunts and uncles, I turned my attention to planning her funeral. I didn't know where to start. Fortunately, I was able to find an excellent funeral home that understood how to help people plan beautiful memorial services. It was amazing to go through the process of planning the music, the speakers, and even the set-up of the room. This blog is all about planning gorgeous memorial services for the people that you love so that you aren't left grappling with difficult decisions.
Planning your funeral in advance may be one of the most responsible things you can do, but it is most likely not ideal to take on yet another expense when you are already dealing with your regular bills. After all, the full cost of an average funeral in the US comes in at $7,181. If you want to keep your funeral costs as low as possible, it is important to remember that you are in direct control of how much your final bill is. Here are three easy ways to cut the costs of your pre-arranged funeral bill by $100 or more.
Go with a closed-casket viewing. Having your casket open at the visitation and funeral will mean that there will be several different preparations that will be necessary before the event. You will likely have to be embalmed, which preserves the body temporarily, and you will have to be prepared so that your face looks more lifelike, which will involve cosmetology services on behalf of the funeral provider. Just being embalmed comes with a hefty fee of anywhere between $495 and $1290, so opting for a closed casket and a brief funeral will mean the opportunity to save quite a bit.
Provide your own transportation from the funeral home to the cemetery. When it comes to the costs charged for the various services that go along with a funeral, there are few things that will just be randomly included in the price. Even the ride you take from the funeral home to the cemetery in a hearse will have a price tag. In fact, this one ride, no matter how short, can cost you anywhere from $150 to $530. Make arrangements for your own transportation, whether it is a horse-drawn carriage or otherwise, and you may be able to save at least 100 bucks.
Bring your own clothing. When you are in the process of making your funeral arrangements at the funeral home, you will likely get the chance to choose a new outfit directly from a catalog that you would like to be wearing when you are laid to rest. However, it is a much more financially sound decision to pick out an outfit on your own. The clothing offered by funeral homes often comes from pricey retailers, and besides, picking out something on your own will help ensure that you get something that is the best fit.
6 April 2016
