Paying for a funeral is an issue everyone will need to deal with at some point in their lives. Whether the death of a loved one moves the subject to the forefront, or if you are estate planning and want to make advance arrangements, you will soon find yourself surrounded by funeral payment options.
(more…) Should You Take Out a Funeral Loan?
March 6th, 2013Paying for a funeral is an issue everyone will need to deal with at some point in their lives. Whether the death of a loved one moves the subject to the forefront, or if you are estate planning and want to make advance arrangements, you will soon find yourself surrounded by funeral payment options.
(more…) Green Funeral Options: Funeral Plants
February 26th, 2013
Funeral flowers are one of those things that almost everyone associates with the traditional funeral setting. From huge commemorative wreaths to the casket flowers that add a touch of color and brightness to a memorial service, many people find that sending sympathy flowers is a great way to show your love and help support the bereaving family.
However, with green funerals on the rise, it might not feel right to spend money on a display that will only last for a few days. While some families preserve funeral flowers or turn the blooms into potpourri, others end up throwing the decaying flowers out. That’s why alternative funeral flower options like funeral plants exist.
(more…) Funeral Mediation: When Families Disagree
February 23rd, 2013
Death and funeral planning have the tendency to bring out the best and the worst in people. While families might hope that the loss of a loved one will bring them together as a cohesive unit, it is often found that the reverse is true. From disagreements about money issues to the actual funeral planning process (including how the body is disposed of, what kind of funeral service is held, religious preferences, and even flower choices), it often comes to pass that individuals simply cannot agree on how to proceed.
Understandably, this can quickly make a bad situation even worse—especially if there are no pre-arranged funeral plans in place and there has not been an Executor to the Estate named.
(more…) Sympathy Gift Ideas: Funeral Quilt
February 21st, 2013
It’s becoming increasingly more common for families to take comfort during the funeral planning process with unique gifts and tributes. While many people still hold fast to funeral traditions, there is something to be said for receiving a unique, personalized sympathy gift that honors the deceased. Providing comfort during what is unarguably one of the most difficult times, funeral quilts and blankets are a great new option on the funeral gift market and for use as a memorial service display.
(more…) Funeral Planning and Decision Fatigue
February 15th, 2013
It’s no secret that planning a funeral is a mentally exhausting task. Most people charged with the task of burying a loved one are already reeling from an overflow of emotion, and when you add the need to make dozens of financial and burial decisions, the results can tear a person down.
According to recent studies about the process of making decisions, there might be some science behind the difficulties we face when planning a funeral (above and beyond mere loss). Decision fatigue, or the emotional toll that an abundance of decision making has on the human brain, can impact the way you think about your choices. And in many cases, the results will be vastly different than if you’d made that decision a few hours earlier (or later).
(more…) Funeral Planning Information: The Business of Selling Caskets
February 13th, 2013
Although funeral planning has included coffins over thousands of years of human history (with ancient Egyptian caskets among the finest), the casket industry as we know it today is a fairly recent development. As is the case with almost all of our modern-day funeral traditions, the practice of using formal, wooden (or metal) caskets purchased from a funeral home for the express purpose of looking good goes back to the Victorian era.
(more…) Green Funeral Planning: Carbon Neutral Cremation
February 11th, 2013
Many people choose cremation or green burial as a way to make less of a negative impact on the environment when they die. These kinds of options, which cost less than traditional funeral methods, almost always rely on minimum preservation (as in, no embalming) and use materials for caskets and urns that don’t strain our world’s natural resources.
(more…) Choosing the Right Crematorium
February 7th, 2013
If you or a loved one has decided to be cremated rather than buried, it’s important to remember that just as much effort should go into choosing a reputable crematorium as it does for choosing a good funeral home.
Although the majority of crematoriums you’ll encounter are reputable (especially those that are located on cemetery grounds), there should be some transparency in the process. You should feel free to tour the area, ask questions, and be confident in the fact that your loved one is being handled with respect.
(more…) The Truth about Embalming
February 5th, 2013
When funeral planning, embalming is typically introduced as a way to preserve the dignity and appearance of the deceased in the days leading up to the burial. Through the use of various medical techniques, the body is drained of its natural fluids and replaced with chemicals that provide a more “life-like” appearance for the deceased. Although the reasons for embalming vary, it is most common when the family opts for an open casket ceremony.
(more…) How to Shop Smart for Pre-Need Funerals
January 29th, 2013
Pre-need funeral plans are available through multiple avenues. You can find packages at most funeral homes, cemeteries, life insurance providers, large corporations, and even independent financial brokers. These days, just about everyone has a finger in the death pre-care industry pie, and knowing who to turn to for help can be tricky.
If you are in the market for a pre-arranged funeral, here are a few things you should know about shopping smart.
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