A Pricey Procession: Avoiding Extortionate Funeral Costs
If there’s one thing we all dread in life, it’s when a loved one passes away. On top of the emotional effects you or your family would feel, the big decisions you have to make so soon after someone’s death can be ovewhelming, not least the ones that relate to money, and specifically the cost of the funeral. It’s at this point where people can be so consumed by grief that they may very well make an unwise decision with regards to the best way forward. Here are the best ways to make sure you are prepared for the hidden costs, as well as the ones that hide in plain sight, for funerals.
Picking The Funeral Package
This can be a very expensive cost, depending on the service you want. There are options such as the “classic funeral”, also known as the “full service”, which can be far more expensive than you realize. And the best way to compare packages is to examine the specifics of each package, and you could also compare funeral directors with regards to the cost of each package.
Paying In Advance
Lots of people feel that they are securing a good quality service by paying in advance. However, it’s important to be cautious in this respect. Sometimes it can be a better option, especially if someone is attempting to plan their own service. But extenuating circumstances can cause problems when someone has prepaid and left the surviving members of the family to foot the bill, such as if the funeral home has gone out of business. Or even the cost of inflation may mean that the surviving family members will have to pay a lot more for the service, even though it wasn’t the deceased’s intentions.
Purchasing The Casket
When it comes to picking a casket, consumer habits have shown that people will buy one of the first three caskets they see and is usually the mid-priced one. Believe it or not, showrooms are strategic in their displays and show the most expensive models first. It’s always important to take a little bit of time to look at various models with different price ranges, and also insist on seeing the lower priced ones, especially if they are not visible to you!
Embalming: The Hidden Cost
Some people choose to have the body embalmed, which is where a body is prepared, so the disintegration is slowed down. This can be due to religious reasons, but if it’s a personal preference, the fact is, this is not the case. Depending on where you are, the embalming of the body can add a significant cost to the bill. Some funeral establishments will be insistent on embalming, but it’s not required by law, there are some caveats to the rule. In this respect, you should do your research on the embalming laws in your particular state.
The last thing you want to do when someone you love has passed away is to barter and bargain, but some aspects really do need thinking about, especially if you don’t have the finances in place.
