Funeral Expense and Cost Projections
When a person passes away and does not have any life insurance, the surviving members are generally left to foot the bill for the funeral. Just the basic essentials for a burial and funeral service would cost the average consumer about five thousand ($5,000) to eight thousand ($8,000) dollars. Remember, funeral homes are businesses that arrange hundreds of funerals each year, do some research about the cost of funerals and burials.
Charges For Dealing with the Human body
For preparation for the funeral service most funeral homes charge a nominal fee for handling the body remains. The body preparation stands alone and it is one of the most important elements of services the funeral home provides. The funeral director will also provide descriptive pricing for other services such as: funeral service visitation, obtaining death certificates, family limousines and the hearse, paper work and receipts. Every funeral is very different which is mainly based on the character of the decease. You may be able to add or remove different services provided by the funeral home. For instance: the funeral home may charge a premium to use their facilities for the funeral ceremony and your local church may only require a donation.
Deciding on a Casket or Coffin
When it comes to selecting a casket there are a wide selection to choose from. Coffins are generally made from the best resources and materials. When making the funeral arrangements you can rest assured knowing that the casket will be the most expensive purchase. The decedents body will remain in the casket forever so you may want to select a durable material that can weather any storm. A few years ago the law was changed and now permits anyone to purchase a casket for use at a funeral.
Grave Containers and Burial Inserts
To prevent erosion and ward off contamination the burial container and liner will keep the casket in tact. There are a number of states in the U.S. that require a grave site liner which can cost up to one thousand dollars.
Embalming the Body Remains
Embalming the body may cost about $600 dollars but this process is known to keep the body in great shape after the committal. Which in many cases will do a terrific job at keeping the body for a long frame of time. Although, it may not be required in your local town or state we highly suggest the embalming process.
The Family Limousine & Hearse
Typically, the family should request and order a limousine if money permits to keep everyone safe from driving in such a vulnerable state. The decease will be transported along with the flowers in the funeral home hearse as this is the main vehicle used to move the body remains. For $1000 dollars or so you can request a limousine to escort your family to the funeral and committal services.
Opening of the Grave and Grave Signs
Opening the grave could result in an additional expenses, usually about $700 – $1200 dollars for the grave site to be dug out with a dozier. Headstones can be very expensive should you decide to get one for your love one but it is not a necessity at most cemeteries.
Additional Fees and Expenditures
There are a number of additional products that you may consider to enhance the funeral service. The Internet is a great place to purchase funeral products directly from the manufacturer and save substantially. Purchase funeral handouts right from the Internet nowadays and provide your own funeral programs, bookmarks, announcements, prayer cards and acknowledgments. It is best practice to purchase any printing services from local printers or trade printers that print in the memorial industry. When purchasing a funeral spray or flowers for the ceremony you can search the Internet to get excellent deals and promotions. You can always search the Internet for promotional codes that you can enter at checkout for a substantial discount.
Take some time to educate yourself about making funeral arrangements before you visit the funeral home. You can always Google your local funeral home and read any review available on the internet about their services. Before you spend a substantial amount of money learn all you can before making any decisions on the purchase. Planning a funeral for a love one can be fulfilling knowing that you made the final arrangement and put your love one away in class and style. Things can add up quickly if you are not paying attention to the bottom line and being financially careful. Settling for cheap solutions is not an option either, ask for discounts on the better products and be very frank.
