Dealing with the death of a loved one comes with great pain and requires high resolve. Resolve often refers to taking steps to handle responsibilities at trying times. Making funeral arrangements during a period of shock and grief isn't easy. Strong-willed persons can pull themselves together enough to perform necessary duties. Unfortunately, grieving families with limited funds may be under even more stress. Cremation might be a preferable option for families seeking a proper burial when dealing with financial duress.

Cremation, Urns, and Funeral Planning

Cremation generally comes with less cost than a traditional burial. With cremation, an urn houses the loved one's ashes. Urns may be far less expensive than wooden caskets. The expenses of urns do vary, though. The lower-priced urns still present honor and dignity to the loved one's remains. To procure the most appropriate urn, family members should plan funeral arrangements long in advance. Granted, this becomes impossible when someone suffers a sudden and unexpected death. If the loved one is elderly or suffers from a severe medical condition, family members do need to prepare funeral arrangements in anticipation of his/her passing. While this is hardly a pleasant process, taking the initiative to plan out a funeral could reduce costs for a financially struggling family. Advanced planning leads to better budgeting.

Delaying the Burial

Burying an urn at a cemetery underneath a tombstone is not uncommon. Cemeteries won't likely mandate placing only caskets in the ground. While urns may be less costly than caskets, headstones and burial plots come with expenses. A family might not have the funds necessary to pay for these other burial costs. With cremation, a family could potentially delay the actual burial until after raising funds to pay for the burial. A family could ask the funeral home to house the urn until the time to bury the deceased arrives. The family has the option to take the urn home with them or store it elsewhere as well. Although these scenarios may not be preferable, they do provide alternatives for the financially struggling.

Requesting a Mass or Secular Event

A full funeral isn't always necessary when saying goodbye to the departed. Churches may offer a private mass in the name of the deceased. Making similar arrangements for a secular event is possible. Both come with less cost than an actual funeral ceremony. And no, cremation does not preclude the deceased from being honored in these ways.