For most other major purchases we make in our lives, we are always cost-conscious and will shop around for the best price. A funeral can be a huge expense, but a purchase that until more recent times, a family would not ask upfront about the total cost. It was almost deemed to be undignified to be asking a funeral director ‘how much’?
Now, folks are very mindful consumers, and the Internet has provided a wonderful tool to price-shop with some anonymity. What is happening without a shadow of a doubt is that families now want to ask ‘how much’ and to compare costs.
Cremation is the new buzz in the death care sector right now, as more and more families decide that cremation is a preferable alternative to an expensive traditional funeral.
So, we have put 5 tips together here to help you understand how best to compare cremation costs between cremation service providers.
DFS Memorials offer direct cremation from $795 – Use our Local Provider Search to find your nearest location.
#1 Compare like-for-like cremation packages
Ensure you compare the same cremation service package type between different providers. Whether you opt for a cremation memorial or a direct cremation, check that what is included from each provider is exactly the same.
Some providers bundle services, including the cremation container, a cremation urn, and even death certificates. Whereas other providers may appear to be offering a discount cremation price, but they have not included basic items/services that you will require.
Unless you happen to have a cremation container at home, you WILL require the cardboard container for cremating the body, yet some providers charge an additional $50-$100 for this!
#2 Not all funeral service providers are created equal
Understand that different funeral service locations have different pricing structures. A large traditional funeral home with a fleet of vehicles, a large staff, and premises will have a larger overhead that they need to maintain.
Corporate funeral locations such as Dignity Memorial and the Neptune Society also tend to have a higher pricing structure for cremation services as they have profit margins and shareholders to appease. You will often find that small, local, independent funeral homes can offer you more affordable cremation prices and flexibility in flexing them.
#3 Seek out cremation specialists
As cremation has become more popular in the last few years, some funeral service providers have opted to specialize in the field. This means they have set up separate cremation businesses focusing solely on cremation, and therefore, in many cases, they offer more competitive cremation prices.
Established independent funeral firms in several states have set up a state-wide cremation society to meet the demand for simple and affordable cremation services. Many of these ask a small membership fee to join and access reduced cost cremation packages.
#4 Know the ‘Funeral Rule’ and your right to be given cremation prices
Until recently, funeral homes did not like disclosing prices, especially on their websites. On many occasions, I have even phoned a funeral home, who have still been reluctant to disclose a price for a cremation.
According to federal regulations, a funeral home MUST disclose prices from its General Price List (GPL) when you make an inquiry. Whether in person, by phone, or by email. If they fail to do so, they are in breach of the Federal Trade Commission’s ‘Funeral Rule,’ and you can report them to the FTC.
The FTC conducts surveys annually to test compliance, and nearly every year, there are a number of funeral homes that are fined for non-compliance.
If you do some research and compare cremation prices between 5 funeral homes in an area, you may be surprised by the different responses you receive and how much the cost can vary.
This purchase is generally made under duress at a difficult time, and often, with no prior experience with this type of purchase, we make very vulnerable consumers of death care services.
#5 Use a cremation cost comparison service
There are a few ways to compare cremation costs in an area. You can use a service such as Everest Funeral Planning & Concierge Service. However, there is a fee for this service. You can use a service like the DFS Memorials network. At DFS Memorials, we researched and compared direct cremation prices in an area to select an affordable cremation provider to represent the network in an area.
Click on the Find Providers near you link below to find your location and cremation price.
This means we can quickly connect you with your local, independent funeral home that offers a low-cost cremation service. You will also find today that some independent funeral homes have conducted research in their own area and published a local cremation price comparison chart on their website.
Hopefully, these five tips will help you understand how best to compare cremation costs, whether you are preplanning and considering purchasing a cremation plan or you have an immediate need for an affordable cremation service.
Sara Marsden-Ille is a writer and researcher specialising in the death care industry. With more than 15 years covering end-of-life services, funeral trends, and consumer funeral planning, she writes for DFS Memorials and US Funerals Online to help families make informed decisions.
