Choosing a Funeral Home

Most people choose a funeral home when they're at their most vulnerable: someone they love has just passed away. In times of stress. It's easy to choose impulsively and this can lead to regret later on. 

While the decision does have to be made quickly, there's time to shop around, something that many people are reluctant to do. 

Shop around 

The phone is your best friend for shopping around. You can ask for prices over the phone, checking to see what they offer. 

You may know of some funeral homes because of previous funerals or there's one in your community that your family has used for years, but don't feel obligated to use them. If you feel that you will get better service elsewhere, go ahead. A funeral home is a business and what different establishments offer can vary quite a bit. 

Costs 

Ask questions and check the fine print to compare costs between funeral homes. What may seem to be a more inexpensive package may end up costing you more if it doesn't include things that you have to pay extra for. 

Read the literature that describes what each package offers and compare the ones that are most alike. Your costs may include: 

• Staff services 
• Funeral 
• Paperwork 
• Coordination of transportation 
• Miscellaneous tasks 
• Care of the body 
• Embalming 
• Use of the funeral home viewing room for visitation 
• Flowers 
• Newspaper notices 
• Musicians for the service 
• Clergy 
• Pall bearers 
• Casket or urn 

Caskets and Urns 

Costs for caskets and urns vary across the board. You'll need to decide if you want to save money and buy the most economical casket or urn or you can choose anything within your budget. Remember that buying a casket is often done at the most stressful time of your life. It's easy to be influenced into buying something that you may not ordinarily. If possible, bring someone with you to help you make this decision. 

Burial 

If you choose burial, there are extra costs, even for burying urns. Cemeteries charge the market price for their area, so different parts of the country, even different parts of a city, will have different costs. There's often also a charge for a liner or foundation for the casket or urn as well.