5 Things You Don't Want To Do When You're Making Arrangements For A Funeral

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Planning a funeral can be stressful and leave an individual wrestling with uncertainty regarding many important decisions.

Unfortunately, individuals planning a funeral for the first time tend to make some common mistakes that can unnecessarily increase the costs and decrease the emotional comfort brought by a well-planned funeral.

The following are five things you don't want to do when you're making arrangements for a funeral:

Spending too much money because of emotions

Before you start planning a funeral, you need to gain an understanding of just how expensive a funeral can get if you're not careful. 

Unfortunately, a lot of individuals who are responsible for planning a funeral are upset about the death of a loved one. They then tend to overspend because they're dealing with so much emotional turmoil and they can't focus on weighing various costs. 

Make sure you're calmly analyzing all the options and costs and not impulsively spending a lot because of your emotional situation. 

Purchasing products and services that you don't want

You don't necessarily have to purchase a product or service that's typically associated with a funeral if you don't want it. You can customize funeral arrangements to make the most appropriate for the unique individual who the funeral service is meant to honor. 

Being unaware of the average costs of a funeral in your area

Before you get started planning a funeral, you should learn what typical costs are by asking around and by doing some comparison shopping.

When you are familiar with typical costs, you can make the best choices about which funeral home you work with and which services you purchase from that funeral home. 

Failing to set a budget

Again, funeral costs can add up if you're not careful. In many cases, a limited amount of money provided by life insurance or savings must cover the costs. Therefore, setting a budget is important to ensure that funeral costs will be covered with money left over. 

Neglecting to take advantage of veteran benefits

A cemetery plot can be very expensive. The Department of Veteran's Affairs maintains many national cemeteries across the country that may offer a free burial plot to a veteran. The Department of Veteran's Affairs can cover the costs of a grave, headstone, and burial flag in addition to offering a cemetery plot. 

Take advantage of this and other free or discounted funeral services that are provided to deceased individuals with veteran status. 


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