A funeral is an essential event that marks the life of the dead, but the economic aspect can be a financial burden to the planners. I know nobody wants to plan for death but you have to understand that at the end of the journey of life there is death. Therefore it will eventually occur, and planning will help take some of the pain out for you and your family. If you have ever helped in arranging for a funeral then you will agree with me that even a basic funeral expense can be difficult to afford. If you have something in mind, be aware that you’ll also see that the adds-ons can skyrocket the costs. The best way to control this is to plan and know the average funeral costs of each item. Funerals nowadays can exceed $ 10,000 though this might depend on the on type of funeral i.e. traditional burial or cremation.
Ways to Buy a Cheap Casket
In today’s article after analyzing the average costs of a funeral, we will focus more on the costs of caskets. When budgeting for funeral expenses, purchasing a casket is an important part that you need to consider. According to 2021 statistics, the average cost of caskets ranged from $2,500 – $ 3,000. Despite this, in the US you can also find standard metal caskets at around $850. I know that most people are also wondering what the difference is between a casket and a coffin. Well, a casket and a coffin are used interchangeably but the term casket is common in the US, while coffin is used outside the US.
Why are Caskets Very Expensive?
As mentioned above, the average price of getting a casket in the US is between around $2,000 and $3,000 and the cost usually reflects the type of material used and the time input required in making the Coffin. Purchasing a casket is similar to purchasing a piece in furniture in that you have options and try to find the best quality at an affordable price. You also need to be aware of a certain minimum price that goes hand in hand with the quality. Another reason why you might find caskets to be very costly is acquiring a casket from a funeral home. Based on the FTC Funeral Rule, Funeral Homes are required to provide families with a list of prices and an honest answer to all the questions being asked. Therefore for Funeral homes, the cheapest way to get a casket is by purchasing the casket only and not the whole package. Purchasing the whole package is what makes the caskets very expensive.
Well, let’s move on to our main topic and look at ways to find the cheapest caskets without compromising quality. As we all know we are also in a world where there are a lot of scammers and having this in mind it’s important to do our research very well before settling for a particular dealer. Let’s get started;
The growth of technological innovation has led to the emergence of e-commerce shops and many of them are safe, but it’s best to be careful. With thegrowth of shops such as Amazon, Alibaba, etc, caskets can also be easily purchased online. Online platforms also offer the best place you can find affordable caskets instead of going to a retail store in person. Online retailers typically have lower prices in comparison to brick-and-mortar funeral services. However, purchasing something online comes with the risk of being scammed. Therefore you have to be very careful and perform your research very well.
To buy caskets safely online, you should look at the reviews of the buyers. This will always help you in determining the quality of the product. Always check that the company has a legitimate location. The location information is always located on their website. A legitimate company that cares about the quality of service delivered is very easy to access. Lastly, always keep in mind that if the price is too good to be true there it’s far away from being true. For instance, if you find a website that lots of caskets under $500 then be extremely careful, as the quality could be bad.
Another option of finding a cheap casket is considering a high street casket retailer. Casket street retailers will always have a showroom that allows you to view caskets and make a purchase. Their caskets are also bought at a favorable price. Some of them don’t have caskets in store and might require you to order it. A street casket retailer can be used only if there is one nearby. This is because some states in the US don’t provide a license to casket sellers.
All said and done, when purchasing a coffin don’t look at the price only. It’s important to try and think if the casket will be dignified for the deceased. The other factor is the means of transporting the casket from the purchasing point. When shopping for the casket is usually a hard moment for the family therefore always go for dignity rather than price.
You may be interested in: The Benefits of a Prepaid Funeral