By 2030, the cremation rate in the United States is expected to reach 72%. As an easy, cost-effective option, it’s rising in popularity—partly due to the price of cremation.
In recent years, stigma and religious principles regarding cremation made it unpopular. However, as cremation becomes culturally accepted, it has skyrocketed in popularity.
The cost of taking care of a deceased loved one has skyrocketed recently. Now, death is one of the most expensive events that will ever occur. Often, loved ones must calculate the cost of:
This is a lot to cope with, particularly in the wake of a death. That’s why we’ve assembled a guide to the price of cremation. Let’s get started!
Cremation itself is relatively cheap. In most places, you will pay between $600 and $1000 for direct cremation. Of course, cremation costs more than that.
You’ll likely need to choose an urn and pay for a memorial service. Depending on the unique options you choose, cremation can cost a lot more or less than you would expect.
The prices vary depending on demand. In some remote areas, cremation only costs $450. However, those cremation costs only account for direct cremation.
There are lots of other cremation options available, depending on your financial situation and the wishes of your loved one.
For instance, donating your body comes with free cremation. If your loved one chose to donate their body to scientific research, the medical facility will pay for the cremation.
Usually, their ashes will be returned to you after about a month. If you can’t afford cremation and your loved one wanted their body donated, this is a great option.
As mentioned above, direct cremation is also a low-cost option. Usually, this option comes without a memorial service, funeral, or other frills. If your loved one wanted a no-fuss exit, this may be the right option.
Traditional cremation is one of the more expensive options available to you. Here’s what it includes:
Usually, a traditional cremation costs over $5,000.
When calculating cremation expenses, it’s important to assess all the choices available to you. Your loved one might want to alter their end-of-life plans, or you might know that a specific option would be special to them.
Start by calculating the cost of an urn. Are you looking for something simple or decorative? Some urns are designed to be functional, while others are intended as a keepsake.
When selecting an urn, calculate the purpose. Will it be buried, or do you intend to keep it inside on a mantelpiece? Depending on the answer, an urn can range from $20 to $300.
Is it important to your loved one for their ashes to be scattered in a specific place? If so, calculate the cost of travel. Sometimes, a family road trip is the most efficient way to fulfill their wishes.
If you don’t plan on scattering ashes, interment is a great choice. This involves burial or utilizing a cremation niche. This could range from $500 to $2000, depending on the location and availability of spots.
Cremation doesn’t eliminate the opportunity for a memorial service, either. Often, families choose to delay the service till it’s convenient, and until after the cremation takes place. Often, this clocks in at $1000.
Of course, you don’t have to calculate cremation expenses for traditional options. Instead, you can spend your dollars on something more unique.
Have you considered cremation jewelry? A loved one’s ashes can be turned into crystals or diamonds. If you’d like to wear your loved one’s ashes as crystals, this can often cost around $700.
If you prefer diamonds, this can cost between $3000 and $20,000 dollars. There are lots of gorgeous options available to keep a loved one close to your heart.
However, if you prefer something cheaper, jewelry that functions as a wearable urn is also an option. This often clocks in at a few hundred dollars. This is a great option if your loved one left a big family behind.
If loved ones are spread out across a great distance, saying goodbye is even harder. Only one person can have an urn. And if an urn is buried or placed in a niche, visiting is difficult if you live far away.
Cremation jewelry, if that’s something you wish for, can help multiple people keep their deceased loved one close. It’s a great way to honor their legacy with sentiment and nostalgia.
If you don’t like the idea of cremation jewelry, what about cremation stones? These could be placed around your home, in a special garden, or used in a fountain. In most cases, ashes will make between 40-60 cremation stones, which costs around $700.
Artistic options are another great option to include in the price of cremation. If your loved one had a sense of adventure and humor, what about cremation fireworks?
Often, fireworks can be packed with ashes. Depending on the company you partner with, some will shoot these fireworks off over the ocean. You can usually light them off yourself in a special location, or the company you partner with will do it for you.
Our final creative suggestion is cremation glass or art. If your loved one enjoyed art, what about these options:
Ashes can be worked into many artistic mediums. Artists will mix cremation ashes into their paintings, and then turn them into a work of art. All of these are great options to calculate into your cremation plan, depending on your loved one’s wishes.
If you’re trying to weigh funeral expenses versus cremation expenses, which one is cheaper?
The answer boils down to the ‘extras’ that you want. If you focus on the bare minimum, cremation is cheaper. That’s because if your loved one wanted no extras, the process is simple.
Think of it this way. With direct cremation, the body is cremated and placed in an urn. Loved ones then take those ashes home. Depending on where you are located, direct cremation can take place for under $1000.
With traditional burial and funeral costs, the list of ‘must haves’ is much longer. Embalming, a casket, a burial plot, a headstone, and so much more have to be factored in.
There’s a reason that cremation is gaining popularity. When it comes down to it, the price of cremation is often the main selling point.
It’s crucial to take your loved one’s wishes into account. But if you’re accounting for your finances, cremation pricing is much cheaper.
Things like fireworks, sculptures, or stained glass pieces are optional. If you choose to commemorate your loved one in that way, it’s a great idea. But if you’re trying to calculate the bare minimum price of cremation, it’s not necessary.
When selecting a cremation provider, prices will change depending on who you are working with. It pays off to be savvy!
Start by assessing your situation. If you are conducting end-of-life planning, prepaid cremation is an option. That way, everything is taken care of when you do pass away.
The cost of cremation is expected to grow each year. This is partly due to the rising popularity of such services, and partly due to inflation. If you select prepaid cremation, you can lock in current prices.
What if you need to find a cremation provider now? Make sure to take your time and shop around. Sometimes, the price will drastically vary, even if two locations are within a mile of each other.
Make sure that you ask for any possible discounts. For instance, did your loved one serve in the military? Were they a senior or an AARP member? Depending on their status, you may be able to receive a discount.
Trying to make major decisions in the wake of a death is difficult. How do you know if you’re doing the right thing? In some cases, loved ones don’t leave official wishes or a will.
Instead, you’re left to guess what they might have wanted. In those cases, you can only follow your heart.
There are lots of benefits that make cremation a good option. For starters, you can keep your loved one close by displaying their urn or doing cremation jewelry.
It’s also better for the environment. There are lots of toxins involved in caskets, the embalming process, and headstones. This pollutes graveyards and allows toxins to sink into the groundwater. If your loved one was eco-conscious, cremation is the better option.
Take your time when calculating the price of cremation. Figure out what really matters to you, what your loved one’s wishes might have been, and what works for your family and finances.
When you figure out what you’re looking for, we’ll be ready and waiting to help. At Lone Star Cremation, we provide top-notch, empathetic service that helps take the load off your shoulders. Contact us today!
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