How to Choose the Most Affordable Funeral Home to Meet Your Needs

It is never too early to start looking for the best funeral home for you. The average funeral today cost approximately $8000, but many people still neglect to do the proper research needed to find the best funeral home to meet their needs. Unfortunately, it is one of the most neglected major life events we encounter. The best time to look for a funeral home is now. You do not want to leave your grief-stricken loved ones searching for a funeral home during one of the worst times of their life. There is so much research and comparisons needed to find the best funeral home for you, and you know your loved ones do not want to nor have the time to do this when you are gone. This time and effort could save you and them thousands of dollars, so why not plan now? Remember planning in advance can save your loved ones some frustration and save everyone some money in the end. Here are a few things to consider when trying to find the best funeral home for you:

• Do a cost comparison on every funeral home you research. Did you know that the law requires all funeral homes to have a general price list available? You need to ask each and every funeral home you visit for one of these lists so you can easily compare them. Do not forget to look at package deals. Most of these deals can save you a lot of money in the end but be wary that they are not marking up prices either.

• Look at what is included in their service fees. These details will differ significantly from funeral home to funeral home. Some funeral homes may be more specific in what is or is not included in their service fees. Do not be afraid to ask if you are unsure what may or may not be included. Also, note that the more specific the items included in their service fees are, the easier it should be to choose the best funeral home for you.

• Add funeral costs into your life insurance plan. Some people like to buy a funeral plan from a funeral home, but you may find it more affordable and convenient to add this little extra detail into your life insurance policy. It is definitely something worth checking into, and you never know comparing these two options could save you a lot of money and become less of a hassle in the long run.

• Avoid the protective casket upsell. Many funeral homes will try to sell you this added upsell. It is mainly used to ensure the body is not destroyed by any outside elements; however, it is known to dehydrate and petrify the body. And, this upsell normally costs the funeral home about $8, but they end up charging you as much as $800 extra for this feature. In the end, it is probably best to say no to this extra charge.

• Buy your casket or urn from a mass market type retailer. Many retailers, such as Walmart and Costco, now offer affordable caskets. You may want to look into these options before deciding to buy your casket from a funeral home. Remember you are not required to purchase anything you do not want from a funeral home, and they cannot charge you extra for buying any products elsewhere. Please note that Oklahoma is the only state that does not allow consumers to purchase their caskets directly from a retailer. So, if you do not live in Oklahoma and want to see if a casket from a retailer could save you money, you should explore all of the options out there.

Many people do not want to plan their funeral ahead of time. However, you could save yourself a lot of money in the long run and save your loved ones a lot of stress and frustration if you just take the extra time to plan ahead. You can also make sure that your funeral goes the way you wanted and includes everything you wanted. So, why it can seem a little morbid to some, it is well worth it to be prepared and plan your funeral while you have the time and energy necessary to do it.