Burial arrangements are normally made by close family members and friends of the deceased person. It is essential that you work out how much money you can afford for the burial arrangements, as there are many expenses to be covered. If you don't have a lot of money to spend, there are a few measures you can take to help you keep funeral costs as low as possible.
Making your own burial arrangements is usually cheaper than having to hire someone else to do it. However, if you must hire someone to help you with the organization, find someone whose services are affordable. Also, only outsource the specific services you want instead of getting a whole package deal that you may not use fully.
You should consider cremation. This is a low cost method of interment because it only involves buying a low cost coffin and having the body interred at a crematorium. There will be no need for a memorial service, viewing of the body or anything else. You must talk to family members to ensure that this is acceptable to all of them.
Since the coffin is the single most expensive item in a burial, shop around for bargain deals. Do not feel shy to ask for lower priced models. The other option is not to buy a coffin at all and use a shroud instead.
No need to hire vehicles for the memorial service if your friends and family are willing to provide transportation. Get the exact number of vehicles you need, no need for an entourage. Also, having guests make financial donations rather than bringing flowers to the memorial service will help you get some extra money to cover burial expenses.
Find a venue and officiant who charge reasonable prices for conducting the memorial service. If there is anyone in the family who is qualified to offer these services, you can request them to do so. You can also ask friends to act as pall bearers and dig the grave to help keep funeral costs down.
