What to Do When You Want to Bury Someone But Can Only Afford to Have Them Cremated

As the economy has slowed, more families haveelsewhere (e.g. at their church - often for free). This
been forced, for financial reasons, to choosewould reduce funeral expenses enough to allow the
cremation instead of body burial when someone theyfamily to bury the deceased in a cemetery for about
care about dies.what it would cost to hold a typical cremation service
A typical traditional funeral followed by body burial inat a funeral home.
a cemetery costs between $7,000 and $10,000. AForgoing services at the funeral home will usually
typical funeral service that results in the body beingallow you to reduce or eliminate these costs:
cremated runs approximately $3000. While the trend• Funeral ceremony
towards cremation will likely continue in the near• Viewing or visitation ceremony
future, there are things you can do to make body• A nicer, more elaborate casket • Embalming
burial more affordable.• Other body preparation (e.g. makeup and
One of the simplest things a family can do is choosehairdressing)
a service level known as an "immediate burial". WithBy choosing an immediate burial followed by a
an immediate burial the body is taken directly frommemorial service at your church you can realistically
the place of death (or morgue) to the cemetery.reduce the funeral home's bill from about $7,500 to
Normally, the body stops at the funeral home justabout $3,000.
long enough to secure the death certificate and burialThere are actually quite a few things you can do to
permit (and for the family to buy a cemetery plot ifreduce the costs associated with both body burial
they don't already own one). No funeral ceremony isand cremation. It pays to learn a little bit about the
held at the funeral home.prices and options available in your area.
The family can still choose to hold a memorial service