Dealing with the grief of a loved one’s passing is already difficult. Add to that the growing costs of funerals—which can reach $10,000—and you can easily feel overwhelmed.

You want to make sure you celebrate your loved one’s life with dignity and honor. Staying inside of a budget, especially if the passing was sudden, can add another challenge.

Planning a funeral with limited funds is possible. Our guide is going to break down what to expect and what options are available to you. Keep reading for more.

The Basics of Planning a Funeral

A funeral can be as elaborate or subdued as you need it to be. Here are the main things to keep in mind regarding how to plan a funeral on a budget:

  • Disposition of the body
  • Choosing a venue
  • Miscellaneous costs and alternatives

Let’s look over each of these elements on their own.

Your Loved One’s Body

This is probably the most difficult and expensive choice you have to make. When making funeral arrangements, you need to decide if you want your loved one’s body present.

If so, you’ll have to coordinate with the funeral home or chapel where you want to hold the service.

Sometimes, funeral homes offer funeral and burial packages. Shop around without committing to a price to get the best value.

Where to Hold the Funeral

If you’re not displaying the body, your options open up. The next step is to find out how many people will be able to attend.

Having those closest to the deceased is the most important thing to consider. Limit attendance to that group if necessary to stay within your budget.

Your house of worship might be able to help you accommodate a large group. Holding services in someone’s home is also a budget-friendly option.

Miscellaneous Costs and Alternatives

There are a few costs that might catch you off guard. They’re not necessary but keep in mind things like refreshments for the attendants or video recording the memorial and budget accordingly.

Remember that a service doesn’t have to be expensive to be meaningful. There are alternatives to consider that can help keep costs down.

Creating a slideshow takes a little time and almost zero dollars. Save your money for thank you cards by sending email invites instead.

Don’t go overboard with decorations, stick to things that remind people of the good times. Read more for other ways to honor your loved one’s memory that won’t break the bank.

Make it Meaningful

As you can see, planning a funeral on a budget is doable. Don’t add worrying about finances to the stress of this difficult time.

Plan ahead and make things easy on your loved ones. You can give them a roadmap to the kind of funeral you’d like so that when the time comes, they’ll be prepared.

Everyone likes to keep their costs low. If you’re looking for more ways to save money, we’ve got you covered.

Check out our finance blogs to start saving big right now!