Funeral Costs – What Can You Expect.

The cost of a funeral varies depending upon what services you get. The total costs can range from $5,000 to $10,000. Be knowledge about what is charged for various services can help you get the best price at a time when you or your family is not at their best.

• The Professional Service fee – is one that you cannot get around. It can cost as little as $695 or as much as $3000. Other costs of the funeral are in addition to the professional service fee.
• The casket is one of the biggest expenses for a funeral. A commonly purchased casket of 18- gauge steel averages about $2300. The 20-gauge steel casket is lighter in weight but sells for less. It is not uncommon to see markups of 300% in this area. If you can shop around this is the time to do it.
• Embalming – is mandatory for open viewing funerals and may also include costs for cosmetics and hairstyling. If the body is not being transported across state lines, embalming is not necessary.
• Funeral Service – is generally less expensive if held at a church as opposed to a funeral home or chapel.
• Cremation – costs much less than a burial service because it is simpler. Funeral Homes often try to make up for that by trying to talk family members into expensive urns or extras like cremation jewelry. Remember that the amount of money you spend is not an indication of how much you loved the deceased.
• Cost of burial will depend upon whether it is an in ground burial, mausoleum, or lawn crypt. It also depends upon the cost of the funeral plot, which can vary from a few hundred dollars to thousands.
• Cost to open and close the grave. It is cheaper to have a funeral during the weekday from 9 am to 3:00 pm. Evening and Saturday funerals cost more.

Funeral homes are required to give you a price list if you contact them directly. Another good source to survey cost is to check with a memorial society in your area. They routinely survey the costs of funerals.