Understanding Funeral Home Procedures

A funeral is a great way to show your last respects to a loved one, but they can also be a huge financial burden. The average funeral in North America ranges from $7,000 to $10,000. Nowadays, there are so many add-ons you can choose between to make a funeral a more lavish event. From tribute videos to horse and carriages carrying the casket, the options are endless for what you can add on to a funeral package. For someone who is looking to plan a nice funeral without spending a fortune, there are ways to save on the costs. To make sure your loved one gets the funeral they deserve, here are some ways to cut costs so you can splurge on the important parts of the funeral. 

Embalming Services

One of the quickest ways to save you several hundred dollars is to skip the embalming services altogether. Not all states require that a body be embalmed. The Federal law requires that the funeral home give you their costs or a good faith estimate on their services before charging you. If you choose to forego the embalming services, then you want to decide if you still plan to do a viewing or not. If you do choose to hold a viewing, then you may want to opt to have the body refrigerated beforehand. If you want to skip the embalming service, then you are looking at saving between $495 to $1290. 

Caskets

Caskets can easily be the most expensive item at a funeral. Fortunately, there is a way to save on the cost of a casket. One of those ways is by purchasing the casket separately than with the funeral home. There are many places you can purchase a casket including wholesale clubs. In many cases, the markup is not as high helping you to save several hundred on a casket. Instead of picking that mahogany or bronze casket, you can always opt for a pine box or biodegradable wool casket that will save you money on the casket. 

Headstones

A headstone is another important part of the burying process. To help you save money on a headstone without sacrificing quality, you want to consider extras that help add cost to the memorial. Engraving can add up when you consider putting names, scriptures, and even a face on the headstone. Typically, you are looking at paying around $9 per character. To help reduce your costs, you could cut down on the amount of engraving needed and still have a lovely memorial for your loved one. 

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