Seven ways to save on funeral cost

With the ever-increasing cost of funerals and cemeteries, along with other cost associated with funeral expenses, many families are left trying to find alternative and affordable options that can fit their funeral budget. Without breaking the bank, there are several ways that families can save money on funeral expenses and at the same time have a proper remembrance and closure.

1. Cremation

Cremation is just a less expensive form of disposition. If you consider the expense of burial, from buying a grave and vault, fee’s for opening, closing, and vault handling as well as a marker and setting fee’s can cost into the thousands of dollars. You can still have a memorial service and bury ashes, usually at a substantially lower cost. Also, funeral home charges will be considerably less, since your not using their facilities, vehicles or buying any expensive merchandise.

2. Skip Embalming

Embalming is not a law, and funeral homes cannot require you to pay for embalming unless you purchase a type of funeral service that requires embalming, such as a public visitation or viewing. Families that elect not to embalm may still have a visitation with the body present, but the casket would be closed during the public wake times. Keep in mind that the immediate family can still view there loved one prior to the public visitation in a private family only viewing, if that is their desire.

3. Buy your casket elsewhere

Typically, you can purchase a casket from an online source or a casket store for much less that if you were to buy it at a funeral home. The funeral home must accept the casket and cannot charge any handling fee or require that you be at the funeral home when the casket is delivered. Also, if you tell the funeral home you may purchase a casket elsewhere, they may match the price to save the sale.

4. Be buried at a National Cemetery

If you or your spouse is a honorably discharge veteran, you are both, along with any dependent children, no matter what age, are entitled to a free burial at National Veteran’s Cemetery. This includes the grave, vault, opening and closing, a marker and setting fee. There are also many state veteran cemeteries that offer a free burial for a veteran and discounted fees for a spouse. To find a VA Cemetery near you, go to www.cem.va.gov

5. Donate to science

Many donation organizations offer free cremation when you donate your body to science. The ashes are generally returned to the family in a few months to up to a year. 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.

6. Have a visitation and service at a church, nursing home or other facility

If you can, have your visitation and service at another facility, this will bypass any cost associated with using the funeral home facility. Be sure to check on the availability and if this is allowed with the facility you want to use. Funeral homes may tell you that the facility won’t allow it, so by checking yourself, you’ll know for sure.

7. Don’t use a rental casket

Many funeral homes offer a rental casket to families who want a full funeral that ends in cremation. A rental casket is simply the shell of a casket with a cardboard box insert that is removed and taken to the crematory. You may be able to purchase a casket far less than renting one, be sure to ask the funeral home if they have caskets available to purchase that would be less then the rental or as stated before, purchase a cremation casket from another source.

It is always wise, before the need arises, to call around and check on prices and learn about all your options. Or better yet, call a funeral consultant who can help you determine the best options suited for your funeral budget and may be able to provide other cost saving options to you and your family.