How To Save On Funeral Expenses

Dearly beloved, we gather here today to remember that the funeral industry is a sales-based profession with tips and tricks like any other. Consumers often lower their guard in deference to the pain and reverence that accompanies funeral planning; yet just because you are bereaved, doesn’t mean you should be taken for a sap. Here are a few tips to keep funeral costs manageable:

  • Don’t Embalm: Embalming is a creation of the American funeral industry and serves no purpose whatsoever, preservative or otherwise. Don’t let any funeral director tell you that it is required by law. It isn’t.
  • Buy Direct: Funeral parlor coffins and headstones carry outrageous markups. Use the power of the internet to buy both directly from the manufacturers.
  • Buy Local: Where do you think the funeral parlors get their flowers? Go directly to the source and buy from your local florist.
  • The best way to save on a funeral is to plan ahead and resist the temptation to overspend, which often stems from pain and guilt, rather than any direct need for a lavish funeral.

    If you have a morbid curiosity for more information, check out Jessica Mitford’s comprehensive examination of the funeral industry, The American Way of Death.

    Burial Insurance [The Dollar Stretcher]
    (Photo: ljcybergal)

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