28 Feb Funeral Planning Tips

When it comes time to plan a funeral for a loved one or to pre plan a funeral for yourself, there are a lot of options to consider. For this reason, many people turn to mortuaries for funeral planning advice to help them sort out the details of a memorial service or funeral. However, there are some aspects that funeral directors may not make you aware of right off the bat.

Here are some of the funeral tips that we’ve learned over the years and are happy to share with you so you can be more educated during the process.

1: PRE-PLANNING FUNERAL ADVICE

When planning ahead, consider using a national or regional service.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with pre planning for your funeral. It takes the burden off your family and lets you make the decisions. However, keep in mind that a local funeral home may fall on hard times and close. If you choose to plan with a local home, you run the risk that your pre-planned funeral won’t happen because the funeral home no longer exists.

For this reason, our pre-planning funeral advice is to plan ahead with a company that’s been around for a while, a company that offers you the ability to pre plan and choose among several funeral homes in your area.

2: CASKET CAUTION

You don’t have  to buy your cremation urn or casket from the funeral home.

When you visit a funeral home, there will no doubt be some very lovely (and expensive) caskets and urns on display, but you aren’t required to buy directly from the funeral home. In fact, you can find many beautiful caskets and cremation urns online generally at substantially lower prices.

3: RENTALS SAVE MONEY

You can rent a casket for the viewing.

If you’re planning on cremation, but still want to have a viewing, many funeral homes offer the option of casket rentals. The body is placed in a cardboard container within the casket and then removed after the viewing. This is a great way to cut costs when you’re trying to save some money on the funeral.

4: DUST TO DUST

Don’t buy caskets with protective gaskets.

Some funeral homes push these pretty hard, but “protective” caskets need to be exposed to the public as consumer fraud. If you are told that a gasketed coffin will better preserve human remains because it keeps out air, water, and other elements, keep a few things in mind:

While it is true that “sealer” caskets do not allow any air to reach the remains or for any body fluids to evaporate…

5: SPEAK UP AND ASK FOR FUNERAL PLANNING ADVICE

Always ask to see the individual price list when planning a funeral.

Funeral homes tend to create packages for different types of funerals, which can be very helpful, because they will include aspects that you might overlook on your own. However, they might also include services you don’t need. Ask to see the individual price list along with the packages so that you can compare and contrast.