Exploring The Burial Plot Selection Process

Posted on: 30 March 2016

It is no big secret that cremation is a much cheaper alternative than traditional burial. At costs as low as $1,100 in most places, direct cremation is definitely a cheaper route to take when you are planning your own end-of-life arrangements. However, this basic direct price can definitely rise sharply with expensive alternatives offered by the funeral home. If you want to make your cremation even cheaper as a pre-planner,  there are a few simple things that you can do. Here are three easy ways that you can save even more on your cremation services.

1. Bring your own cremation storage container.

The cremation urn can range in costs anywhere from $25 for a small resin urn to as much as $6,000 for specialty crafted pieces. There is nothing stating that you have to buy a cremation urn from anyone in particular, so you can choose to have your ashes stored in just about anything you prefer. Save yourself some money by finding an urn on your own and giving it to your family members or the funeral home for safekeeping.

2. Plan a memorial service somewhere other than the funeral home.

Just because you hire a specific place to be cremated does not mean that you also have to hold your memorial service there. In fact, you can choose to hold the memorial service just about anywhere that you want. Make arrangements for your family to hold a memorial service at your home for a more personalized service or even make it known that you want the memorial held outdoors at your favorite park or by the sea. Funeral homes will charge you for the usage of their facility for a memorial service, typically by the hour. Therefore, it can save you a bundle just planning to have the event at a different location.

3. Skip the offered viewing during a visitation service.

Even though you choose to be cremated, the funeral director will still offer you the chance to have a traditional visitation service before the process. This is not a requirement and can add a lot of heft to your bill. Just renting a casket for a short viewing before the cremation can cost $800 or more at some places. Plus, a viewing or visitation will mean that you will have to be prepared, dressed, and likely embalmed, which can also get expensive. If you are looking to keep costs low, it is best to skip the viewing or visitation service.

For more information about cremation, contact the American Cremation Society.