Tips on how to save money on a funeral

You can try and plan ahead for things as best you can in life, but nothing can ever prepare you for the death of a loved one. Emotionally, it’s difficult to come to terms with the loss, but financially, it can have an even bigger impact. It can seem almost impossible to try and manage the costs of a fitting send-off on top of all the other upheaval that’s going on around you, so you automatically find yourself saying “yes” to whatever quotes and costs are thrown your way, just to get things sorted. There are ways, however, to save money on a funeral and here are just a few of them.

Shop around

After losing someone close to you, trying to arrange a funeral is one of the stresses that you’d much rather not deal with. But as tempting as it is to just go with the most convenient option available to you, it really does pay to shop around. A comparison service provided by funeral specialists Beyond can make it easy for you to quickly compare the cost of funeral directors in the area and make sure you’re getting the best deal, so never say yes to the first price you’re given.

Don’t overspend on a coffin

Unless your loved one had any specific requirements when it comes to selecting their coffin, this really is a cost that you can easily cut back on. The price of a coffin can vary hugely depending on the materials used and the design etc. But, as hard as it may be to hear, a coffin only really needs to serve one purpose. Don’t overspend because you think one might be ‘comfier’ than the other, or looks nicer, or may protect from the elements more. Just be practical.

Do your research

If the person who’s passed away didn’t have any firm funeral plans in place, then it may be worth researching what type of funeral is going to be the most cost-effective in the area. It might surprise you to hear that in one area of the country a burial can work out cheaper than a cremation, however, just down the road, a cremation might be your cheapest option. Don’t assume that one is always cheaper than the other, cremation costs less than burial in most cases. 

Cut back on the extras

Quite often it’s the little things that end up bumping up the cost of a funeral; things that you think are a ‘nice to have’, but actually cost a lot more than you might expect them to. These can be anything from the limos, flowers and order of service, to the wake venue hire and catering and even the cost to place a death or funeral notice in the local newspaper. A lot of these things aren’t essential for someone to still have the send-off they deserve, so don’t feel that you have to include them in the plans.

Keep the wake simple

Some people feel pressure to turn a wake into a large, fully-catered event, but as previously mentioned, you really don’t need to spend a fortune on it. A wake is supposed to just be somewhere that people can gather after a funeral, in a relaxed environment, to reminisce and celebrate the life of the person who’s passed away. This can be as simple as meeting in a local pub or even going back to someone’s house for a cup of tea or coffee.

Take the no-frills route

Of course, if money is particularly tight, there is always the option to arrange a home funeral, which will drastically reduce the cost. It means that you’ll arrange everything yourself instead of using a funeral director, from organising the service to taking care of the body. It’s not everyone’s ideal choice, but certainly, one to consider if the cost of a regular funeral is a little too daunting. Alternatively, you can opt for a direct cremation for the fraction of the cost of a regular funeral. With direct cremation, the cremation takes place without anyone attending and the ashes are then delivered to you. You can then choose to hold a memorial service at a later date if you wish.

A funeral doesn’t have to cost the world. Hopefully, these ideas have given you some thought on how you can reduce the overall amount.

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