Have you lost a loved one and want to find the most affordable way to dispose of them? You need to understand that there are various ways of disposing of a dead person, which include cremation. However, what is the cost of burial, and how much would you pay for the cremation?
For most people choosing between cremation and burial has always been a matter of tradition and beliefs. However, it has recently shifted to the costs because everyone wants to use the cheapest option. In addition to that, funerals are no longer as huge as they used to be because people want to get over them fast.
In this article, we look at the average cost of burial and cremation, and whether one is a better option than the other.
Why More People Are Choosing Cremation
Many people are gravitating towards cremation because they hope to avoid high costs and lengthy procedures related to traditional burials. It is made even more likely because of the way people want to complete funeral processes as fast as possible. Therefore, you may find it suitable if you just want to send off your departed friend and get back to normal life.
Some of the advantages of cremation include:
- No caskets
- No cemetery fees
- No gravesite fees
- No headstones
Another reason people are turning to cremation is its friendliness to the environment. You do not have to worry about destroying trees just to make a casket or decorating a gravesite. This means that if you are an environmentalist, you will be advocating for cremation at any time.
Does Cremation Lead To Non-Conventional Funerals?
Although cremation has become a mainstream burial option? There is still a misconception that it leads to non-conventional funerals. Some people believe that it is not a proper way to honor their loved ones. However, the truth is that it is a matter of belief, and this can change at any time as people adapt to new lifestyles.
The truth is that the choice of cremation is not a total disregard of traditional funerals. In fact, most people who choose this burial option often have a post-cremation burial which involves the urn containing the ashes. In addition to that, there is no rigid way of doing things, and anyone can customize the process, depending on their situation.
Average Cost of Burial
If you compare cremation to traditional burial, the first impression is that cremation is cheaper. This could not be further from the truth because it is 1/3 of the total cost of traditional burials, and this is because of many things. To start with, preparing for a cremation ceremony cannot be compared to preparing for the traditional burials.
You may also have noticed that digging graveyards and decorating them costs a fortune, especially when you want to contract the best people in this business. If you think about the cost of caskets and transporting them, you notice that it can get out of hand. It gets worse when you remember that you have to pay for headstones and cemetery fees.
A Look at Cremation
What is cremation, and why is it a viable option?
This is a procedure whereby a dead person is disposed of through burning. It can be a funeral or post-funeral activity depending on your choice, and it can serve as an alternative to traditional burial. It is fast growing in popularity because of various factors, including the costs.
The typical cost of cremation depends on how they are conducted, with the two options being a funeral home and direct cremation. If you, do it at the funeral home, you are likely to pay between $2,000 to $3,000. However, they will be a little cheaper when you handle them directly through the crematory as they fall to as low as $1,500.
Other factors are likely to affect the cost of cremation, and they depend on how you want to conduct the process. For instance, if you want to engage in an open casket viewing process before cremation, you will spend more. Different states have different levies, and this could alter the cost further.
Then there is the cost of urns, without which cremation cannot be conducted. You may part with $10 on the lowest dollars, although some of them cost as much as thousands of dollars. This means that the final cost of cremation is likely to be much higher if you want to make it more luxurious.
A Look at Traditional Burial
Traditional burials are the most popular way of disposing of the dead because many communities from across the world have been practicing them for a long time. They involve a lot of activities such as embalming the dead, preservation in a morgue, finding a cemetery, and many others. On an overall level, they are much costlier than cremation.
According to NFDA, the cost of burial ranges from $9,500 to $12,500, which may be subject to inflation. These costs include the price of a typical casket, preparing a graveyard, buying headstones, and paying cemetery fees. They can be even higher if you choose to include a ceremony that has to cater to a lot of attendees.
Sometimes, the government pays for the cost of burial of some groups of people, including seniors. For instance, the Department of Veterans Affairs contributes $2000 for a funeral service for veterans. The cost of this type of funeral can be much lower if one has an insurance cover.
You need to know that your choice of a memorial service can further change the cost of burial, and so, you have to be sure of what you want. It can be a big function or a small one involving close family members. Traditional burials are often flexible, and so, you have the liberty to choose how to conduct them.
Get Cremation Services From a Reliable Crematory
Whether you want to choose cremation or traditional burial, you should know how much it will cost before you start the process. For cremation, the process is easy because you only need to choose between direct cremation or one conducted by the funeral home. The most important thing is to find cremation services that make the cost of burial bearable.
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