Thinking of one's own death is a horrifying feeling and a feeling worse than that is thinking about the death of a loved one. Confronting the stress and burdens of making final arrangements for the funeral can be really trying and downright horrible, especially after going through the traumatic experience of losing a loved one such as a spouse or parent.
Pre-arranged funerals are not so much about saving time or convenience as they are about making the grieving process easier. Death never comes at a convenient time so there is rarely money set aside for the funeral arrangements of a loved one. A pre-arranged funeral not only eliminates the stress associated with coming up with the money to bury your loved one but it can also be less expensive as well.
When you select a burial plot and casket in advance, you book at current rates. This eliminates the anxiety about inflation catching you unawares and causing an undue burden at a time when you have other things to worry about. It also affords the opportunity to choose a reasonable casket and saves you from the prospect of feeling guilty if you couldn't come up with enough money immediately. If you set aside the money now, you can choose a suitable casket for your departed one.
By prearranging your funeral like the increasing number of people who are choosing to do so these days, you can select your abode for the eternity. You can decide how you would like to be remembered. More than the casket, many people are concerned about the place they want to get buried. Pre-arranged funeral lets you take care of where and how you will spend your journey to the eternity and how you will be remembered after you have left for your heavenly abode.
Pre-arranged funerals can actually take care of another grave situation such as a family dispute. Many a times, sadly enough, family differences light up and fighting breaks out. Not all children or the near ones of the deceased may be involved in arranging for the last rites of the departed. Thus, pre-arranged funeral will save the family from all these easily avoidable disputes.
Nowadays, with the increasing number of divorces the number of mixed families is also on a rise. Pre-deciding the location of burial becomes all the more decisive in such a case, considering the fact that a number of people have children with one spouse and then move out to have children with another spouse. Pre-arrangement can ease out the process in such cases.
With a little forethought such parents should opt to make their own funeral arrangements and spare their children unnecessary grief after their death. Even if the children get upset with the parent, it is worth it. At least, they won't be fighting with stepbrothers and stepsisters at a time of grief.
When you opt for a pre-arranged funeral you simply reduce the amount of stress and grief on those who love you. They will miss you and grieve for you in peace. Such a decision reflects your farsightedness and your genuine concern for those that are left behind. In addition, it turns out to be much less expensive. Thus, the healing process can begin sooner than later.
You planned your wedding from start to finish, you planned birthday parties for the children, graduation parties, surprise anniversary parties, Thanksgiving dinners, retirement celebrations. So why not plan your funeral arrangements in advance to control the final details of your life and lessen the burden on your loved ones?
The casket can be the most expensive part of the traditional family funeral. Loved ones feel especially torn when selecting an appropriate burial container. They wonder if you would have wanted pine or mahogany, they wonder if people will think they are cheap. The truth is, after the funeral, no one will ever see your casket again!
Therefore, you may want to look into renting a casket and selecting a less expensive burial container. If your family is low-key and doesn't care much for appearances, then a simple casket made of plastic or pine will be just fine.
You can also choose from fiberglass, wood, plastic or metal, and you can even find them online! If you do purchase your casket online, then be aware that federal regulations state that funeral homes cannot charge you extra for supplying your own casket.
Instead, you may choose the direct cremation option (which runs from $300 - $600). If direct cremation sounds appropriate to you, then you'll only pay for the funeral director's consultation, a non-metal body container, hearse fees for crematorium transport, and an urn or container for the ashes.
Some Christians desire burial of the ashes, in which case you'll need to buy a grave site, marker and hardier container. Even so, this option is generally cheaper, though it doesn't allow people that elaborate face-to-face mourning.
What is a grave liner or vault, and is it really necessary? A grave liner or vault is required as an outer burial container to surround the casket in the grave and prevent the ground from settling or sinking over time.
The necessity of a grave liner depends upon the individual cemetery, so you may want to shop around at a few places. If this is not feasible, then don't fret too much - liners usually don't cost too much.
Know your rights! The Federal Trade Commission - through the Funeral Rule - requires a provider to give you a list of up-to-date funeral arrangements and services, along with the prices. The price list should include: funeral director services for consultations and paperwork, care of the body, embalming, casketing, dressing, use of facilities for wakes or memorial ceremonies, funeral flowers, obituary notices, funeral music, cremation, immediate burial, etc.
Anyone who can't give you at least this much information, cannot be trusted. Also, by law, the directors are not allowed to criticize your decisions or push you into buying something you don't want.
Feel free to shop around. You may prefer one funeral home because of its location or family tradition, but be aware that prices vary greatly from one end of town to the next.
Both Bernard Knight-jones & Mike Selvon are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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