1. Shop around and compare quotes
Shop around and compare quotes from more than one funeral director or company.
You’ll get a much better idea of what services are available and how much these should cost.
Plus, by comparing prices you’ll be able to find a local funeral director that offers the best deal for the services you want.
Be open about your budget with your chosen funeral director; check their pricelist before making any final decisions and ensure there aren’t any hidden costs.
You don’t want to end up paying for additional extras that you didn’t ask for.
2. Use social media
Instead of paying for a newspaper notice, you could invite family and friends to the upcoming funeral using social media (e.g. Facebook).
Social media is a free way of sending invitations, while also being more efficient.
Furthermore, with no paper used, it means it’s better for the environment - perfect if your loved one requested an eco-burial.
3. Choose an off-peak time
Funeral directors tend to charge more for funerals they hold outside of usual working hours and/or at weekends.
You may find the cheaper funeral options will have restricted times and dates for the funeral, but this could be ideal if you’re flexible.
4. Don’t have limousines
Funeral packages that include limousines or executive cars are more expensive.
It’s much more affordable to hire a minibus or multi seat taxi which could transport multiple guests to the funeral service.
Or guests could simply travel to the service using their own method of transport.
5. Cut back on flowers
1 in 4 people noted that certain funeral costs, including flowers, surprised them. See a full breakdown of funeral costs here.
When you think about how long the funeral service is (between 30 - 45 minutes) this may be the only time the flowers are seen by loved ones.
Compare prices from local florists to find a floral tribute perfect for your loved one and that’s within your budget.
6. Don’t have pallbearers
Having pallbearers to carry the coffin will add to the cost of the funeral.
To save money, you could ask a few family members and/or friends to do the honour instead.
7. Don’t embalm the body
Embalming allows the body to be preserved for family viewing before the funeral.
Sometimes, the embalming process isn’t necessary and it’s an additional cost that could be avoided.
That being said, if you choose to have an eco-burial, you wouldn’t be able to have the body embalmed as the chemicals used are toxic to the environment.
8. Choose a simple coffin
You can make significant savings just by choosing a simple coffin for your loved one.
Most people prefer the traditional coffin, with most popular choice in the UK being a wood veneer coffin.
Whereas a cardboard coffin is the cheapest and can either be provided through a funeral director or ordered directly online.
A funeral director can help you choose a coffin that’s at the right price point for you.
9. Hold a wake at home
Many people spend extra on venue hire and catering for the wake following the cremation or burial.
However, if you’re on a budget, you could simply hold a wake at someone’s house free of charge.
You could ask everyone to bring a dish or just provide a simple buffet for guests.
Sometimes it’s not always possible to have all loved ones at a wake.
Utilising a platform like Zoom or Skype can ensure everyone can pay their respects to the deceased, regardless of where they are in the world. This means those who would be coming from far or abroad will not need to pay for accommodation or transportation.
10. Have a cremation
The average cost of a cremation in the UK is £3,975, whereas a basic burial costs on average is £5,077[1].
A burial is more expensive due to additional burial fees (cost of digging a grave, lease of a burial plot and so on).
Also, headstone memorials aren’t cheap and they may require special maintenance over the years.
If your religion permits it and you don’t have any family traditions to abide by, then cremation is a budget-friendly option.
11. Get help with funeral costs
Why not check if you’re entitled to help from the government?
There’s a Funeral Expenses Payment (or Funeral Support Payment in Scotland) available to those on certain benefits.
This payment can be up to £1,000 and can help cover essential funeral costs, such as burial or cremation fees.
12. Have a plan for your own funeral
There are options to cover your funeral in advance, including funeral plans and life insurance.
While Reassured doesn’t offer funeral plans, we can help you secure life insurance which could help towards the cost of your funeral.
Simply get in touch today.
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