(Newswire.net — July 8, 2019) — The cost of funerals has been increasing at an alarming rate in recent years and this has not escaped the attention of the Competition and Markets Authority, report the BBC.
Obviously, at a time of grief and for an event that provides comfort to the mourners and a suitable commemoration of the deceased, the last thing you’d want to appear as is tight-fisted. This adds to the strain of organising a funeral, as organisers feel the pressure to succumb to the steep increase in costs to ensure that they give their loved one the send-off they deserve.
With all this in mind, Rob Pryer of A Loving Tribute has suggested that you can still take into consideration the wishes of the deceased themselves and their relatives without the worry of falling over budget and has offered 3 ways to do this below.
Plan and Prepare in Advance
Preparing in advance may not always be a solution in some circumstances, but it’s becoming more common for organisers to take out a plan in advance to spread the cost of the funeral across a time period of up to a year.
If you’re helping a relative or loved one plan their funeral, look carefully at the plans available and what they cover. Some only cover the cost of hiring a funeral director and don’t cover the costs of cremation or burial or other expenses such as musicians, burial plot and service.
Getting the best plan in place will help to avoid stress and financial worries for the funeral ahead.
Lighten the Funeral Director’s Load to Lighten Your Bill
You can easily expect to pay in the region of £2,000 to hire a funeral director. Although they’ll take care of just about everything connected to the funeral, you could save some money by lightening their load.
Have a chat with the funeral director you intend on using and discuss what they offer as part of their service, taking into consideration elements you would feel comfortable handling.
Be realistic with yourself over demands, as tough as it may seem. For instance, do you really need embalming? Is a limousine and hearse necessary? If burying the deceased, could you kindly ask the favour of friends and relatives, rather than the funeral director’s team?
It’s also worth remembering you don’t even need to use a funeral director and can handle everything yourself. In saying this, do reach out to others for support. It’s an incredibly difficult time for everyone, and organising the day only adds to what is likely to be an intense level of stress.
The Coffin
In the past, many have simply gone along with whatever the funeral director they hired suggested. This is normally because they didn’t know they had the option to choose their own, or simply because they didn’t want to. Coffins often aren’t cheap, and unless specified by the deceased prior to their death, is an expense that can be reduced.
You can be safe in the knowledge that coffins will always look fit for purpose. They will always lay the deceased to rest comfortably.
My best advice is speaking with your close ones and prepare a budget that is agreed upon by all parties. Encourage input from those close ones and lean on them for moral support. A funeral can be a celebration of the life of the deceased, and one that doesn’t have to leave the organiser crippled financially.