Funerals can be expensive. The cost of a funeral can go up to $7,000 according to the National Funeral Directors Association. Deaths never come with pre-warning and the responsibilities of organizing a funeral can leave you confused and helpless at times.
A lot of people don’t have prior idea in funerals unlike weddings. One only learns about it when they need it. Fortunately, with little research and guidelines you can easily finance and arrange a funeral without breaking the bank.
Here are some of the effective ways you can finance a funeral in your budget:
Pre-planning
Whether it’s your own funeral or dear ones, you have the option of pre-planning it. You can prepay for the funeral services. It is one of the best ways to ensure that your funeral arrangements are hassle-free when the time comes. While you have the money you can prepay for the funeral and keep everything efficient when you are gone.
However, you should ensure that the funeral service contracts come with reliable policy. The contract must have a refund policy, transfer of the service policy and so on. Choose a funeral home wisely, which offers funeral plans.
Set a Budget
Setting a budget for anything gives you a sense of control. When you are planning for funeral setting a budget for it can save you money, time and a lot of hassle. Funeral is already an emotional time, you don’t want the money factor to add to the stress. Decide how much you can spend and then plan your funeral. This way you will know how much you will be spending on the entire ceremony. There are different types of funerals and you can choose the one that suits your budget.
Choose funeral Home
Choosing the right funeral home can have a huge impact on your cost of the ceremony. There are many funeral homes offering the services but not all of them are created equally. When looking for a funeral home specifically enquire about the pricing. Choose the one that fits your budget. You also need to ensure that the funereal service providers have everything you need like the understanding of the ceremony you need, private holding room, proper arrangement for people like elderly and disabled. All these factors must be considered when looking for a funeral home.
Opt for Cremation
Cremation is relatively cheaper than burial as you can avoid paying for piece of land for burying. It is also a quicker option that save you time. Environmentally too, cremation is considered as viable and safer than burial. You will also avoid the problem of overcrowded cemeteries. While a burial may provide you with an opportunity to visit the deceased whenever you want, cremation too allows you to keep the ashes as a memento. You can also keep the ashes in the Urn and keep them close by.
Insurance Policy
When it comes to financing a funeral you have the option of insurance policy. It can be in the form of life insurance or funeral insurance. This offers the perfect option for covering your funeral cost in the future. There are also various funeral programs that you can opt for. Planning your funeral is essential for keeping the cost under the control. Choose the right funeral plan with few considerations.
Loans
You can avail loans from some financial companies that offer such schemes. This should be your last resort as it may you cost you in the future. You will be acquiring a debt and paying them is essential for maintaining a healthy financial life. It is essential that you choose a loan plan from a company that is offering the best interest rates and the one that comes under your budget. Remember, funerals do not have to be overly expensive. If you keep to your budget and try to accommodate the ceremony in it, you may plan a funeral ceremony of your choice.
Asking for Help
You don’t have to be the only to contribute to the funeral. If the funeral is for one of your family members, the others can contribute to pay for the funeral. This is one of the best ways of financing a funeral. It also eliminates any problem of taking loan and getting into a debt. Make sure you know how much the contribution is from everyone. If you are asking for loan from family or friend or anyone make sure you are in the same page as the other. Financial matters are very sensitive matters. Explain or decide how and when you are going to pay off the debt.
Conclusion
Financing a funeral shouldn’t be a hassle if you plan well and know where you can find the best funeral plans. Choose wisely from the cremation and burial home and ensure that your ceremony is smooth and as you had planned.
