Funeral Homes: A Guide

Unfortunately, death can be a final expense that not everyone can afford. The cost of a funeral in Australia can range from $4000 to a massive $15,000. If the thought of having to spend so much money is causing you concern, you may wish to explore cheaper ways to bid farewell to the world. Read on to find out more.

Take out a funeral plan

A funeral plan can be a great way of spreading the cost of your funeral. Most funeral homes will allow you to sign up for a plan which requires you to make a monthly payment. As long as you keep up to date with the payments, you can use the money you have saved to pay for your funeral. By saving a little each month towards the cost of your funeral, you can soften the blow for family members when the time comes to organise your funeral. If you are interested in finding out more, you should contact your local funeral home.

Leave instructions for your family members

If you do not leave instructions for your family members, they are likely to give you the best send-off they can afford, even if this means using credit cards or taking out loans. Remember, grief will mean they will not want to be seen to be cutting corners. However, if you leave clear instructions in your will, you can give them the comfort of knowing you don't want a lavish send-off. When drawing up your will, ask your solicitor to include a section which details your wishes. You can clearly state that you wish the funeral to be low cost, and you can even stipulate the type of coffin and the amounts you wish to be spent on flowers, the service, death notices and other items.

Consider donating your body to science

One way of ensuring that you do not have to pay for a funeral is to consider signing up to donate your body to medical research. Your body could be used to test tissue samples or as a cadaver which will be dissected by medical students. While this may seem like an extreme option, it is a great way of making a final gift to the world. However, before you sign up it is a good idea to speak with your loved ones so they are aware of your wishes. If you do not do this, your family may be shocked when you finally depart this world.

Talk with a funeral home about the funeral you want once you pass.