funeral costs

How To Keep Funeral Costs Down

Funerals can be costly. While many of us would love to give our relatives the perfect send-off, funeral costs can be overwhelming. From choosing the proper method of burial to furnishing the wake with refreshments, honoring your loved one can come with its fair share of challenges.

If you're looking for a way to reduce funeral expenses, our affordable funeral guide will teach you how. This page will share a few ideas about how to keep those costs to a minimum. We won't be able to help you eliminate every expense related to the funeral, but we should help you reduce them to a much more manageable point.

How Can You Prepare Cost-Effective Funeral Arrangements? 

1. Skip A Church Memorial

Church memorials are likely to be the most expensive part of any funeral. The costs can easily stretch into hundreds of dollars. On top of that, you likely have vehicle rentals, flowers, etc.

More and more people nowadays are avoiding church memorials. Instead, they are having their relatives cremated and holding their memorial at a later date. This may be at their home or where they scatter their ashes.

2. Do Not Get A Gasketed Casket

If you opt for burial, the funeral costs will be much higher than those of cremation. When talking to a funeral director, they will likely try to sell you the idea of a gasketed casket. A gasketed casket is nothing more than a rubber seal that goes around the coffin's lid. It is designed to provide more protection for the body.

talking to funeral director about low cost funeral options

While it can feel nice to know that your loved one has a bit more protection when they have been buried, the cost of a gasketed casket can be incredibly high. In fact, funeral costs can go up by several hundred dollars just because of that gasket.

3. Do Not Opt For Embalming

Embalming is expensive, adding several hundred dollars to funeral arrangements. If you are not opting for an open-casket funeral, then there is no need to have embalming carried out. Although it feels good to know that your loved one has had their look 'preserved,' sometimes, you need to make as many savings as possible to cut funeral costs.

4. Shop Around For The Right Funeral Director

We know that time is often a luxury when planning a funeral. However, you should still do a small amount of shopping around. You will be surprised at how much money you can save.

If you are serious about cutting costs, you can easily purchase various services from different providers. For example, nothing says you cannot get a casket from a different place from your memorial provider.

5. Get A Cheaper Casket For Cremation

Some funeral directors will allow you to rent caskets for cremation.

If you cannot rent, you can opt for a cheaper casket for cremation. Simple wood or even cardboard is allowed for cremations in Wisconsin. Both of these will be much cheaper than picking up an expensive and extravagant casket, some of which can easily stretch into the thousands of dollars.

6. Make Your Food For The Wake

You should avoid hiring a caterer for any wake that you have. While it can be nice to have good quality food, people aren't primarily at the wake to eat. They are there to remember your loved one. If you can make your food and utilize stores like Costco to buy ingredients in larger quantities, you will save a lot of money. You can even ask some of your family members to bring food items to add to the menu.

making your own food

Need To Cover Funeral Expenses? A Title Loan Could Be An Option

Sadly, planning for funeral costs can be difficult. In many cases, the requirement to plan a funeral can strike us at a moment's notice. Not all of us have the cash sitting in our accounts to cover a funeral right away, and it can be challenging to obtain the funds from the deceased's estate. At least right away. This is why some people may need to look into other options. An auto title loan may be one of these.

With Wisconsin Auto Title Loans, Inc., you can obtain an auto title loan of up to $15,000. The amount of cash available will be based on the value of your vehicle. You must have a lien-free title to your car to qualify for a title loan.

The process for getting a title loan is speedy. We have no income requirements and can consider applicants in all credit situations. The process can take as little as 30 minutes, and cash will be provided within a few hours. This will ensure that those funeral plans are not stopped in their tracks.

The process begins with filling out a short form on this website and ends with a vehicle inspection. Because we know that most people probably don't want to travel when planning a funeral, we can carry out that vehicle inspection at your home if you wish.

Ease The Financial Burden Of A Funeral Today!

Struggling to cover funeral costs? While there are plenty of ways to reduce the price of a funeral, you will never be able to eliminate them quickly. An auto title loan may be an option for those who need to cover the funeral cost quickly. Inquire today.

Note: The content provided in this article is only for informational purposes, and you should contact your financial advisor about your specific financial situation.

June Mckaig

June Mckaig writes articles on finance and budgeting, hoping to provide insight amidst the overwhelming crowds of information on the internet. She feels that with all this accessibility comes a lot of false data, and she would like to contribute astute, helpful input that she knows can help others. If you would like to learn more about June's research, read more here.