Low Cost Funeral Options
Since the beginning of time, and in all cultures and religions, people associate funerals with a ceremony to celebrate the life of the deceased. It is a time to share your sorrow and grief with family and friends. Even with a low cost funeral option you can do the deceased proud.
A funeral is also a chance to say goodbye.
Nothing prepares one for the emotional shock of losing a loved one, even if the death is expected. Shortly afterwards,this is replaced by the shock of the financial implications in giving the deceased the funeral he or she deserves.
Even a low cost funeral option is a challenge for most people. Often families are put in a huge predicament when they cannot afford the high costs involved in the burial or cremation.
The average costs involved in a funeral –
- in South Africa the most basic low cost funeral option would cost about R7,500. The average price is R12,000.
- burials can start at R6,000. The casket and service fees would be extra.
- cremations can start at R5,000, without any medical documentation or coffin.
- the cheapest coffin is about R700, and the most expensive in the region of R50,000.
- the service fee charged by the funeral directors can be as much as R4,700.
- flowers for inside the church or chapel.
- fees for the minister, organist, church hall, refreshments.
- some funeral directors provide a comprehensive package, that includes ALL your requirements, including outside vendors such as florists.
In planning a funeral, allocate most of the allotted money to those items that will be most meaningful to the family, for example the casket, or the flowers, or the music. And then consider and plan the rest of the ceremony around this.
A Funeral Plan Helps to Prepare
Perhaps the best option is having a funeral plan or policy in place. This will entail a monthly premium, according to the cover chosen. Within 48 hours of the death of the insured, a cash lump sum can be paid out. These monthly premiums can start at as little as R25 per month for a pay-out of R5,000 and more. Some companies have funeral cover from R30 per month that includes a live cow. This is an attractive low cost funeral option you should consider.
Another option is to have an emergency fund. This can be in the form of a special savings account in a family member’s banking institution. Each member can contribute.
Direct Cremation is a Low Cost Funeral Option
With a direct cremation, the actual cremation takes place shortly after death with the body in a simple container. The funeral director must be able to offer an inexpensive, unfinished wooden box, or alternative container of cardboard or canvas, that can be cremated with the body. There will be a very basic service fee, transportation of the body, the container and also all medical documentation.
Under funeral rules, no funeral director can insist that you need a casket – you have every right to buy an unfinished wooden box. The best funeral director will make a wooden container if necessary or provide an alternative container if an unfinished wooden one is not an option.
Save on funeral costs by getting a FREE funeral cover quote. Use the form on this page
Direct Burial
A direct burial also takes place shortly after death in a simple container. There is no viewing of the body, and no embalming. A basic service fee is also requested which includes transportation and care of the body, a burial container, cemetery plot, medical documentation

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as well as digging services for the grave.
Just like with the direct cremation, the family may want to arrange a memorial service at a later stage, where friends and family can assist in providing refreshments.
In the future, with the high cost of flowers, catering, the venue, caskets, the minister, and musicians, more and more people are going to be opting for low-cost, no-frills funerals.
When you actually start breaking down funeral costs, the biggest costs are those items like the coffin or casket, followed by the after-funeral-party. This is because some people with money are prepared to spend a small fortune for one these celebrations, sometimes taking family and friends to expensive restaurants.
Arranging a funeral is something that many people have never thought about or done, and they allow the funeral director to dictate funeral prices to them that are exorbitant. Funeral homes are businesses and some of the less reputable ones don’t try and persuade you to go for the less expensive options – rather getting you to spend as much money as possible.
Cremation become the 21st Century’s First Choice
It is important to decide what type of funeral you want before you visit a funeral home. If you choose burial as an option, you will also need to invest in a cemetery plot which is a huge expense. Small wonder that in the 21st century, cremation is an option that more and more people are considering.
Cremations are significantly cheaper than burials because you never have to consider the cemetery plot and a grave marker. Research shows that a direct cremation is generally the lowest disposition cost because there is no service and the coffin can be a cheap, no-frills container.
Surrender your Body to Medical Research, and Save
In the United States, it is also possible to have a cremation free of charge if you are willing to donate your body to to science for research. Your body will be used for research purposes by the medical profession, and then be cremated free of charge and the ashes returned to the family. You could then arrange a memorial service.
There are many companies selling funeral products online, and with research you can find items which offer significant savings compared to how they are priced at funeral homes.
As in all areas of life, some careful funeral planning and educating yourself can make a big difference to how much you spend. There are a number of things you can do to plan a more affordable funeral or cremation service.
Be an Educated Customer
If you are going to use a funeral home, opt for one of the low-priced ones and don’t be afraid to negotiate – let the funeral director know that you are an educated customer. Most people don’t know which funeral homes offer the lowest prices and they don’t know what funeral products cost.
This is why funeral services comparison sites are so useful – you can compare services and products and select only the items you absolutely have to have. You can effectively tailor your own low cost funeral option by yourself. With these sites guiding you, you are better positioned to make the wisest choices based on your preferences and your budget.
Save on funeral costs by getting a FREE funeral cover quote. Use the form on this page
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All info was correct at time of publishing