Interesting question, is it not? Most people we speak with today quite clearly state that they DO NOT want an elaborate send-off. They want a simple and affordable service. No fuss, no frills…simplicity and save the money so that family can benefit.
How do Americans want to spend their money on death care costs?
This infographic breakdown from 12 years ago defined how people were changing their attitudes to the expenses of death care as the decline of the traditional funeral began. Since then, attitudes and trends have continued to shift.
Folks today are demanding simple and affordable funeral alternatives. Namely, this lies behind the significant shift in the U.S. towards basic cremation services over the last decade or so.
- 62 percent claim to not want an expensive funeral.
- 18 percent say they would spend the most on a memorial celebration.
- 11 percent state they would spend the bulk of funds on a nice cemetery burial plot and grave marker.
Why are more Americans demanding affordable cremation services today?
An aging senior population: the death of the baby boomers
The media continues to reinforce to us that Baby Boomers are “doing it their way”, and bringing their lifelong legacy of revolution and change to the death care industry. The baby boomers certainly seem to be leading the slipstream of the ‘Life Celebration’ movement.
The death rate is also set to rise in the next decade as more baby boomers enter their end-of-life phase. This has caused increased competition within the funeral industry to control the cremation market. The demographic of baby boomers are leading the simple cremation plan demand, wishing to save their surviving family the burden of funeral expenses.
The economic dilemma facing many unprepared families when a death occurs
A bleak reality is that more families than we realize (or wish to acknowledge) struggle financially. This can be a family that can manage paycheck to paycheck but may struggle to cope with an unexpected expense of over $500.
This is another key factor as to why people do not want to spend unnecessarily on a funeral and are seeking simple cremation services.
The internet has enabled funeral consumers to search and compare cremation prices online. Demystifying a service that was once so shrouded in price mystery. Now, progressive cremation service providers positioning their business to increase volume of cremation cases offer low-cost cremation and Google advertise with price offers.
Death Care: The spend is on direct cremation at an affordable cost
The survey results above from Une Belle Vie Urns were staggering back in 2012. Two out of three respondents stated that they would choose cremation, and a staggering 62% stated that they would prefer NOT to spend money on any aspect of a funeral.
It seems LESS really is MORE these days, and as consumers we are demanding simple and inexpensive choices when it comes to funerals.
When the National Association of Funeral Directors can quote the average cost of a funeral at around $7,500, and we can view General Price Lists (GPL) from some funeral homes that can quote prices between $3,000 and $30,000…….it is little wonder that there is a kind of movement going on.
A simple direct cremation can be purchased for around $1,000 across much of the United States. Yes, there are some areas where you can find a direct cremation cheaper, and there are still some areas where you will have to pay more.
Direct cremation costs in a large metro area (with a bigger population and industry competition) is around $795 to $995. In some cities, cremation costs are closer to $1,195 and in rural areas a simple cremation can still cost from $1,695 to $2,800.
And these quoted prices are examples from cremation companies focusing on offering affordable cremation services, many of which offer online arrangements to keep costs down.
We can memorialize: Families are choosing to hold their own Memorial Service.
More families are opting to host their own memorial service to save on funeral costs. This can be anytime after the direct cremation and anywhere that suits the family. It can significantly reduce overall funeral costs, as a service can be held at home, outdoors, or any venue.
Ash scattering is becoming more popular as a cremation memorial ceremony. Often, as some next of kin are unsure of what to actually do with the cremated remains, and a loved one may have indicated “just scatter my remains”.
Today, a family can opt to spend their money on a simple cremation with no service, which will likely cost less than $1,000. And then arrange their own memorial service, which can be done without any spending if necessary. Meaning, a family does NOT have to overspend to conduct a compassionate farewell to a loved one.
If you want a simple, low-cost option for your funeral, be sure to bookmark DFS Memorials when the need arises!
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I have been researching and writing about the death care industry for the past fifteen years. End-of-life services and experiences are topics most people avoid thinking about until they must face them. My work provides comprehensive and independent resources for families, explaining the workings of the funeral industry, the laws governing funeral practices, and the death care trends that impact consumers. With a BA in Cultural Studies, I bring a unique perspective to analyzing cultural death care rituals, complemented by a career background in Business Management. The death care industry is undergoing significant changes, which I find fascinating. The shift towards cremation services and the emergence of sustainable alternatives like aquamation and human composting are of particular interest. I am also intrigued by how technology is reshaping the funeral planning process and experience. I write for US Funerals Online and DFS Memorials LLC, and contribute to various forums and publications within the death care industry.
