Every parent has always told us to plan for a funeral. Many people have their monthly salaries deducted for a funeral saving. We get that it might be a little too weird and sinister that you have to plan what happens to you after you die. However, this is actually a very smart and practical way to avoid any financial headaches to your family after you die. Surely, you would want to avoid giving them additional problems while their grieving for your loss. Planning your own funeral is a very responsible thing to do and why is that so? Research has estimated that an average funeral costs a whopping $7,000 to $9,000. You might be wondering where such a large amount of money is going when you simply have to place a body in the ground. Well, to make things clearer for you here is a breakdown on financial matters before the afterlife.
Pre-funeral expenses
After a death, the body is not simply thrown in a casket and buried in the ground for a funeral. There are things that must be done after dying that would cost you your money.
- First would be the preservation of the body either through embalming or refrigeration. Embalming is not always a necessity because you can always opt for refrigeration. Either way, both processes can take about $500 to $700.
- Next thing you should consider is what do you plan to do with the body whether you want to opt for a burial or a cremation. So, which is cheaper? According to studies and research, cremation has always been the cheaper one which averages around $2000 to $4000 while a burial would cost you a $1000 more. Cremation is cheaper because it does not occupy land because you just need to pay for the urn, cremation casket, cremation fee, and other human resource services.
- Burial, on the other hand, costs a ton more because of different expenses. A casket is the costliest item in a funeral. It averages at about $2000 to $5000 depending on the kind of casket, style, material, and design. Moreover, you also have to pay for either a vault or land in a memorial home which costs about $2000 to $3000. Certainly, a casket and a vault take up most of the expenses when you choose a burial. In addition, you still have to throw in headstones and a funeral director so that you can grieve in peace without thinking too much about the day of the funeral.
Funeral Expenses
The burial day of a loved one is definitely one of the hardest experiences to go through. Certainly, you would not want to burden your family with issues during a funeral. So, if hire a funeral director, make sure that all these things are covered so that you can start saving.
- The hearse is the vehicle used to transport the body of the deceased from the funeral home to the cemetery. If you want to go for classier and traditional transportation, you can always choose to rent a horse and carriage funeral. The hearse is said to cost about $300 to $400. On the other hand, a horse-drawn carriage might be a little bit expensive costing you about $300 to $800.
- Whether you are holding an open casket or closed casket ceremony, the body of the deceased still needs to be clothed. On average, burial clothing usually does not cost a lot at only about $100 to $200. In addition, there are also cosmetic preparations which include the application of makeup and hairdressing. Most people spend an average of about $250 to $350 for an all in a package.
- There are also other incidental expenses during the burial like funeral flowers. Funeral flowers can certainly be costed less but most people shell out at least $100 to $200 for it. Clergies are also paid an average of about $50 to $500.
- If you have hired a funeral director, you would also have to pay for their services including their staff. At an average, funeral directors and their staff will cost you at about $500 to $1000. Although they might really be quite expensive, keep in mind that they will save your family and loved ones the trouble of having to organize the funeral when they should instead be grieving for a loss.
Without question, funerals do cost a lot of money that is why it is infinitely better to set a plan for your funeral. It might be weird to do that but as an adult, you need to be responsible enough to not at least leave any burden on your family when they should be grieving. If you really want to plan your funeral it is highly recommended that you take the matters into the hands of a funeral home or purchase your own life insurance. There are tons of burial insurance rates that are extremely affordable, and you can even take it up to your employer so they can deduct it right out of your salary for a hassle-free transaction. Prepaying at funeral homes is also a popular option because they already have contracts and the amenities to cover for your funeral. In conclusion, we really recommend that you start setting aside some cash for funeral planning. Not only that but if you have money to spare and learn that other members of your family have no funeral plan, you can always purchase for them or encourage them to save their own. Funeral planning is a great way to ensure that your loved ones would not worry about financial matters once you pass away.
