Today’s average funeral costs upwards of $6,500. That’s right – over SIX THOUSAND dollars!
Fortunately, there are ways to lower funeral costs. Here are some helpful hints on how to find low cost funeral options.

Pre-Planning

Many people opt to preplan and pre pay for their funeral. In many cases, when you pre pay for your funeral, you lock in today’s rates. With inflation, funeral costs rise each year. By pre paying for your funeral, with a reputable funeral home, you can negate those price increases and spare your loved ones from financial difficulty.

Cremation Costs

Talk to a local funeral home. They will tell you all your options. You can get a cremation for less than $1000 dollars in most states, and in many cases for less than $500. The container does not have to be expensive.

Medical Schools

You may want to consider donating your body to a local medical school. Oftentimes, when this is done, costs are very minimal. When the school has finished with it, they will cremate the body and return the ashes. Talk to your local medical school to find out what the options are, and what costs you will incur.

More tips for low cost funerals:

• Purchase your casket online. Consumers can get caskets off the internet for Three Hundred to Seven Hundred percent less. Since the casket is usually the major product purchase in a funeral, purchasing a casket on the internet is a first basic step to a low cost funeral. The funeral director cannot charge you anything extra for this.
• Consider Cremation. As with caskets, an urn can be obtained for less than the funeral home’s price on the internet.
• Talk about what you want for your funeral with family members ahead of time.
That's the only way so that everyone will know of your plans. If your plans are mentioned only in a will, it is quite likely no one will see it until after the funeral is over.
• Comparison shop by telephone, online or in person.
funeral homes are required to provide a detailed and itemized price list if you ask for it. Many funeral homes are now posting their GPL (General Price List) on their website.