Learning All About Funeral Arrangement Options

Tips To Reduce Funeral Costs

26 June 2017

Christine Fleming

If you find yourself suddenly dealing with the death of a loved one, then you may have a lot of questions and concerns going through your mind. You undoubtedly need to figure out the funeral arrangements. When you first speak with a funeral home, you may be surprised to find that the average funeral costs between $8,000 and $10,000. This is a lot of money for most people and may be incredibly difficult to come up with. However, you should know that you can reduce your costs so the arrangements are more within your budget range. Keep reading to learn how you can do this.

Pick A Less Expensive Casket

One of the most expensive funeral purchases you will make involves the casket. Most caskets are over $2,000 and this includes the most basic varieties. However, you do not need to spend as much on a casket if you do not want to. Instead of purchasing a casket, you have the option of actually renting one. Renting a casket may seem like an odd prospect, but this is a great way for you to hold a memorial for friends and family without having to spend as much on the casket itself. 

When you rent a casket, an inexpensive wooden box or casket is placed inside a larger wooden or metal one. The wooden box is covered with a liner that wraps around the interior casket to give the appearance of a singe casket. The casket remains in place during the entirety of the viewing and the funeral. When the services are over, the internal casket is removed and it is buried or used during the cremation process. The outside casket is then returned to the rental company. In most cases, the funeral home itself can help you to secure a rental casket, so ask about this when making your initial funeral arrangements. 

If you do not want to rent a casket, then you can purchase an inexpensive one instead. The most inexpensive varieties are ones made from stainless steel. These caskets are sometimes described as carbon steel types. If you want a wood casket, then go with one that is made from simple pine. When it comes to choosing the interior of the casket, you should think about a cotton lining instead of a more costly silk or crepe one. 

Choose An Inexpensive Burial Plot

Burial plots are also one of the bigger funeral expenses that you will need to consider. A singe plot is typically over $1,000. However, certain plots may be a bit cheaper. For example, plots that are in the middle of a cemetery or ones that are alone where you are unable to purchase another plot in the area may be a bit less money.

If you are able to find a more inexpensive plot, then you should choose also think about the inside of the plot and what should be paced there. Plots are typically lined with either a grave liner or a vault. Vaults are concrete enclosures that keep graves from sinking in. The concrete is contained in the earth and a cap or cover is placed over the top that is also made of concrete.

While a vault can keep the grave from sinking in, it is expensive. It is much more costly to choose a grave liner. The liner is also made from concrete, but it only covers the top and sides of the casket. This means that the bottom part of the plot is open and lined with dirt alone. While there is a small chance that the plot will cave in if there is movement across the earth and below the casket, this is not likely.

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