Did you know that as of 2020, 44% of people in the United States plan on getting cremated? Why might this be, you ask? It all has to do with the fact that cremation, in general, is much more affordable compared to a traditional burial.
Cremating a body is a simple process, and it disposes of the body safely and efficiently. You won’t need to buy a coffin that might cost you thousands of dollars, and how won’t need to pay for the burial service either. But what kind of cremation costs will you need to pay for anyway?
Many factors can affect the cost of cremation, such as your location and what kind of cremation you plan to go through with. Keep reading and learn more about paying for cremation and the various costs you might encounter.
Cremation with a Traditional Funeral
Cremation with a funeral is more or less the same as any other funeral except for the fact that you’re not going to bury the body. This is one of the most expensive options; however, some people may find that a traditional funeral is indispensable. A funeral, as well as a memorial or viewing, can be vital when it comes to getting closure and feeling at peace with the loss of your loved one.
Cremation with a traditional funeral, as mentioned before, is the most expensive cremation option, and it tends to hover around $5,000. However, this is much cheaper than a traditional burial which can cost double that amount. Keep in mind that the cost of cremation and a traditional funeral will vary according to your location and what state you live in.
Some states are much more affordable when it comes to funerals and cremations, and you might only need to pay around $3,000. On the other hand, some states, such as California, are much more expensive, and you might need to pay $6,000 or even more.
What You Need to Know
The reason why a traditional funeral, along with cremation, is so expensive is that you will need to pay for many more aspects. Many of the cremation payments you will need to face have to do with the cost of the casket, the basic service fees, the embalming process, and so on. For example, before your loved one is cremated, the body will first need to be embalmed.
The embalming process involves filling a dead body with embalming fluid. This embalming fluid consists of certain chemicals that slow down the decomposition process and preserves the body for a certain period. This is important if you plan on having a viewing of any kind.
Without embalming the body first, decomposition of the body would start to set in and it would not be possible to view the body. Besides paying for the embalming process which can cost several hundred dollars, you will also need to rent a casket for the funeral which could easily cost you several thousand dollars, depending on how long you need the coffin for.
The Cost of Direct Cremation
When it comes to paying for cremation, the cheapest option available is direct cremation. What is direct cremation, you might ask? As the name suggests, it involves putting a dead body into the cremation chamber to be cremated as soon as possible.
Because this method is so direct, there will be no embalming process involved and there will also not be a viewing or memorial. As mentioned before, if a body is not embalmed first, having a viewing will not be possible because the decomposition process will set in too fast. Keep in mind, however, that having a viewing can bring you and your family a sense of closure.
If you don’t have one, you might struggle to cope with your grief later on. Whatever the case, because direct cremation skips many of the aspects involved in a traditional funeral, you can save a lot of money by choosing this method. To start, you won’t have to pay for the embalming process.
This process alone can cost several hundred dollars and sometimes even a thousand. Since there is no reason to preserve the body because it is going to be cremated right away, there is also no reason to embalm the body. You also won’t have to deal with the cost of a casket.
Saving Money with Direct Cremation
Caskets, whether renting or buying them, can be very expensive. In a funeral parlor, you will be able to see all the available caskets. They come in many different materials, designs, and colors.
Wood caskets are particularly popular because of how attractive they are, but plastic and metal caskets are also available. Whatever the case, renting a casket for even a few hours can cost you thousands of dollars. After all, a casket’s only purpose is to hold a body until it can be cremated.
Since, with direct cremation, the body will be cremated as soon as possible, you won’t have to deal with these funeral caskets at all. As a result, direct cremation only costs around $500 to $800. This may be the perfect option if you’re on a tight budget and can’t afford a full funeral.
However, you will still need to pay for a casket for the body to be cremated in. This kind of casket will go into the cremation chamber with the body and will be burned away with the body. This casket is very thin and only made of a single sheet of material, usually wood or cardboard.
The point of this casket is to hold the remains in place as the heat of the chamber burns the body away. Fortunately, you won’t have to pay very much for this casket since it is so cheaply made. Usually, it is around $100.
As a result, the overall cost of direct cremation should not exceed more than $1,000.
Other Cremation Costs You Will Need to Consider
If you don’t want to spend any money when it comes to creating a body, free cremation does exist but it involves donating the remains to science. This means that you won’t be able to keep the remains in an urn for yourself. Instead, scientists and researchers will use the remains to study various scientific questions that have to do with biology and humanity in general.
This might be a good option if you don’t have a budget to work with, but this option may not provide you with the closure you need to recover from your grief. If you don’t want to donate your loved one’s remains to science, you will still need to consider a variety of cremation and funeral costs.
For example, if you plan on having a traditional funeral along with the cremation, you will need to think about all the little costs that might be involved. Decorations and flowers may cost you more than you think.
You will also need to pay for the basic services of the funeral parlor which will include having a memorial service in the parlor and having a mortician groom and put makeup on the body so it is prepared for the viewing. Above all, you will need to think about the cost of the urn.
All About Urns
Much like caskets, urns come in all different sizes, shapes, and designs. Some urns are very large and very sturdy while others are not much more than small boxes to house the ashes of your loved one. Of course, the urn that you choose could easily impact your budget in a big way.
Also, you will want to consider what you plan on doing with the urn before you buy it. Do you plan on keeping the ashes in your home or do you plan on scattering them? If you plan on scattering the ashes, there isn’t much of a point in buying a very expensive urn.
On the other hand, if you plan on keeping the ashes in your home for the near future, buying a sturdy and more attractive urn may be a good idea because it will act as a sort of memorial in your home. On the other hand, if you plan on scattering the ashes soon after receiving them, all you need is a small, affordable container to keep the ashes in until you dispose of them.
Your Guide to Cremation Costs
The cost of cremation can vary according to many different factors. For example, your location, as well as the type of cremation you choose, are both very important when it comes to your budget.
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