Burial arrangements are normally made by close family members and friends of the deceased person. It is essential that you work out how much money you can afford for the burial arrangements, as there are many expenses to be covered. If you don’t have a lot of money to spend, there are a few measures you can take to help you keep funeral costs as low as possible.
Even though organizing a burial can be hectic, it will be a lot cheaper if you opted to do it alone, with the help of family and friends rather than hire a funeral director. Nevertheless, if you feel that you need hired help, find a cheap option. Only pay for services that you actually need.
You should consider cremation. This is a low cost method of interment because it only involves buying a low cost coffin and having the body interred at a crematorium. There will be no need for a memorial service, viewing of the body or anything else. You must talk to family members to ensure that this is acceptable to all of them.
Shop around and look for affordable caskets. Request to view low cost models. Caskets are usually one of the most expensive items in a burial. Lower priced models are usually made from soft wood. The other option is not to buy a casket but to use a shroud instead.
No need to hire vehicles for the memorial service if your friends and family are willing to provide transportation. Get the exact number of vehicles you need, no need for an entourage. Also, having guests make financial donations rather than bringing flowers to the memorial service will help you get some extra money to cover burial expenses.
You can have the memorial service conducted at a family member’s home to avoid having to hire a venue. You can also look around for an affordable officiant or have a friend or family member who is an ordained minister carry out the service. Have volunteer grave diggers and pallbearers so as to keep funeral costs down.