Cremations are considered to be one of the most affordable types of funerals.
When it comes to planning your funeral ahead, however, you’re left with a few important factors to consider other than just the type of service you choose.
While a funeral may sound like a stressful or taboo topic for many, a pre-planned cremation service allows you to pre-organize your funeral arrangements the way you wish, from the final rights to the memorial.
If you’re wondering if a pre-planned, affordable cremation service is the right one for you, then you need to consider the factors that may have prompted this choice.
A pre-planned funeral service may be right for you if the following factors are some of the things you’ve considered during this process.
You want to reduce the cost of funeral planning
The average cost of a funeral—including caskets, funeral home services, and visitations—is estimated to be around $11,000.
While for many who are looking to plan a funeral on a budget this would mean a large investment, you can opt for a more affordable service option that falls within your financial capability while pre-arranging a cremation service.
Direct cremation, in particular, is generally the most cost-effective service an individual can choose. This service takes place within a short period and includes fewer expenses than a traditional cremation.
You want to ease the burden on your loved ones
Planning a funeral involves shouldering a considerable amount of expenses, and having to do so while grieving can be overwhelming for loved ones.
Despite the difficulty of balancing these circumstances, however, family and friends of the deceased would still be eager to pay their respects and honor the life of their loved one.
If you want to relieve your family of some of the financial burden of planning a funeral, opting for a more affordable service may help you do so.
This is especially true in the case of a sudden loss. In these circumstances, unexpected costs can be difficult for the family to bear. A prepaid plan allows you to cover those costs for them by paying for your own funeral ahead of time.
You want a more eco-conscious service
A cremation service tends to be greener than traditional burials and is another benefit you get when choosing this option.
If you’re an environmentalist and prefer to make as small of an impact on the environment as possible, a cremation can be a wiser and better service to choose.
Firstly, cremation services don’t require embalming, which is a process that involves the use of chemicals that end up in the ground. They also don’t require a casket, which usually has metal fittings that don’t decay easily and remain in the earth for a long time.
The greenest option out of the options available is a bio cremation or green cremation. Bio cremation is done with alkaline water instead of heat so that you don’t even have to worry about carbon being released into the air.
This is an even more eco-friendly alternative to flame-based cremation or casket burials and includes a process that uses water and potassium hydroxide to reduce the body to ash. The ashes are then returned to the family.
You seek a sense of peace regarding funeral arrangements
Most people prefer not to think about arranging their own funeral, and if you also feel the same way, it’s natural.
But at the same time, there is a sense of contentment many individuals appreciate when they have an affordable pre-arranged funeral plan; when they know their family members don’t have to take on the arrangements themselves, and that the final rites will happen according to their wishes. This is particularly the case when you prefer to keep your costs low and expect a simple service.
A prepaid cremation also gives you some control over what happens next, allowing you to take comfort in the knowledge that your wishes will be clear and easy to fulfill for your loved ones.
Affordable cremation services—ensure your wishes are met in a cost-effective manner
A direct cremation is one option available to you and is worth exploring if you are looking to ensure that all your wishes are met without adding to the responsibilities of your loved ones by opting for an affordable cremation service.
