Tips for Saving Money on Cremation Services  

Losing a family member or loved one is never easy. Combine this stress with the financial aspect of paying for cremation services in New Orleans, LA and you’ve got one big cocktail of stress and pain.  

But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are ways you can cut cremation costs while still giving an honorable and respectful goodbye to your lost loved one. Even simple cremations cost money, not including the costs of services and other products. There is no shame in looking for help with paying for or lowering the cost of cremations. Here are three ways to do just that: 

Fund Raising - Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your community, neighborhood, friends or other family. You’d be surprised how quickly people will chip in. Get creative with fund raising like car washes or bake sales, church groups or donations, memorial funds at the deceased’s workplace or bank, and crowd funding websites like GoFundMe.com or GiveForward.com. Social media is also a great tool to make your need known and get more people involved. Don’t be afraid to share any fund raising or write posts about your need.   

Government Assistance - Local, state and even federal government programs can help pay for funerals and cremations. Check with your local social service, county treasurer, or public fiduciary to see if any systems are in place. These programs have varying requirements, especially since local government budgets are tight, and they are making such programs more difficult to qualify for. Be sure to double check that you are eligible. The Social Security Administration can also provide assistance. Call to report a death and you may be eligible for a lump sum of $225 or other survivor benefits. Other federal programs that can help are Medicare, Medicaid and the Veteran’s Administration, The Bureau of Indian Affairs and The Railroad Retirement Board. 

Preplanning - Check the deceased’s papers and information to see if they made any plans to help pay for their cremation. They might have put in place things such as prepaying programs, funeral insurance, life insurance, and payable-on-death bank accounts.  

If you still can’t get enough funding, there are tons of low-cost cremation options you can choose from, including:  

Look into direct cremations 

Bury the cremains on family land or a family plot  

Host the memorial service at home, the community center, church or other religious establishment 

Bring pot-luck food for the service  

Choose body donation to a medical school or other organization (Science Care is the world’s largest body donor program) 

Jacob Schoen & Son Funeral Home is here to help if you need more information on any of these ways to save money on cremation services or would like to learn more about New Orleans, LA cremation services. We offer a wide range of services with an even wider range of price points. We are here to help you in your time of loss, no matter what your budget. Call us today to learn more about what we can do for you.