What does a decent funeral in South Africa cost today?
Funeral costs today are not something we think about from one day to the next. But, like it or not, the day will come.
Funeral costs Today will Surprise you
The cost of a regular burial in 2018 can set you back at least R40 000. Even the cemetery of your choice can affect the price.
Many people choose cremation and a simple memorial service. However, Chapel hire for an hour costs about R2 500. With a bit of research, you’ll find a way to have a decent funeral your family can afford.
In life, most people battle to make ends meet. In death, they still battle to find money for the funeral. Funeral costs are rising sharply, outstripping inflation, with prices of plots, coffins and tombstones more than doubling in recent years.
Usually the deceased has a Will which sets out the type of funeral they want. Many want a cremation because it costs less than a burial.
The price Rises quickly with Funeral costs Today
A spokesperson from FNB tells us that we need to brace themselves for a drastic increase in the cost of burials. Costs include the coffin, headstone, transport, catering, venue hire etc. The cost of phoning friends and family as well as service providers, adds to the bill.
The choice of Cemetery and Funeral costs Today
The cost of a funeral will depend on the type of funeral you want. A burial plot for instance will depend on the cemetery you choose.
At Four-ways Memorial Park in Johannesburg, a private cemetery, funerals cost R50 000. A year ago the same site was R35 000. Hiring the chapel for an hour costs another R2 500.
Recently, TV veteran, Joe Mafela’s tombstone costs were revealed. The family wanted a unique tombstone for the TV actor. The headstone was reported to cost more than R100 000.
Keeping up with Trends comes At a Huge Cost
Many people look at ways to have a simple a funeral. Others believe that you have to put on a show for friends.
These funerals don’t just include the usual burial plot and coffin, they have huge tents, music equipment, the slaughtering of cows and feeding the hundreds who attend.
The cost of a death in a family can often be the start of endless debt. Some people plan a funeral to impress friends, and they take out loans to do this. They only worry about the debt once it’s all over.
The wrong State of Mind
Surveys have found that one of the biggest costs for low income earners was to ‘prove’ to others that they have money to provide a ‘good’ funeral.
Debt experts tell us that the amount spent on funerals is way too high and that education on low cost funerals was important.
Simple funerals You can Afford
One of the best things you can do to save money on a funeral is to shop around. You’ll be amazed to see how prices change between one funeral home and another. And how many ways there are to scale down. You can give the deceased a simple but elegant goodbye that they’d be well pleased with.
All info was correct at time of publishing