Funerals don’t have to cost thousands. If you’re organising a funeral on a tight budget, why not consider some of these tricks to help keep costs down.
Shop for cheap coffins
Coffins can vary a lot in price. Some of the most expensive options are made from luxury materials like mahogany and have silk lining – often selling for upwards of £2000. At the other end of the scale, you’ll find coffins made from basic wood selling for just over £100. These cheaper coffins typically aren’t built to last, but that doesn’t matter in the case of a cremation. Funeral homes will usually have a range of coffins at different prices, but you may want to look at specialist online sites to find some of the cheapest options.
Stick to a single funeral car
It’s possible to rent a hearse and multiple funeral cars for close friends and family. However, the cost of hiring all these vehicles will add up. Simply opting for one funeral car – the hearse – will save you a lot of money. Some funeral companies may have a range of hearses to choose from and some of these may be cheaper. Make sure to compare prices of all vehicles available.
Consider a non-attended cremation
A cremation service is typically much cheaper than a burial service. But you can go one step further and consider a non-attended cremation – also known as a no funeral cremation. Whereas most cremation services involve gathering friends and family in a crematorium to hold a funeral ceremony, this service doesn’t involve any funeral service. A prayer can still be read out by a funeral official and music can be chosen, but there is no long speech about a person’s life and only close family need to be present. It’s an intimate no-fuss approach that is also cheaper and more suited to some people.
Celebrate their life at home
More people are celebrating funerals at home without any ceremony. Friends and family can still gather and you can all share stories and pray if you want. If you would prefer to still have a funeral service at a church or funeral venue, you can still consider hosting the wake at home to save money. Many people pay upwards of £300 for a wake venue. By hosting it at home, you don’t have to pay anything.
Say no to a plot
While many people like the idea of a marked grave, others are not too concerned. By saying no to a burial or cremation plot, you could save £1000 in some cases. You won’t have to pay plot fees and you won’t have to buy a headstone. This is not possible if you’re opting for a burial, but if you’re opting for a cremation you can choose instead for you or someone to keep the urn or scatter the ashes in a special location. Alternatively, you could bury ashes in a garden and plant a tree there as a memorial instead of a headstone.
