Six Ways to Save on Funeral Expenses
Funerals can be very expensive, but planning ahead and finding ways to lower funeral expenses can make a stressful time more manageable.


You might be surprised to know that end-of-life costs are just as, if not more, expensive than the cost of living in the United States. A single, total funeral expense can cost up to two to three months' worth of one person’s living expenses, and if you’re not prepared, these costs can leave a significant financial burden on the loved ones you leave behind.
Whether you are preparing for a funeral for yourself or a loved one, it is important to know that there are ways you can arrange a funeral without breaking the bank — and most of these tips are based on planning in advance.
What is included in usual funeral expenses?
The average funeral cost in the U.S. can be anywhere from $7,000 to $10,000, depending on the type of funeral you’re planning. The usual funeral expenses one would typically incur are for:

Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
- Funeral service
- Facilities and venue for viewing
- Facilities and venue for ceremonies
- Casket or urn
- Cremation
- Vehicle transfer of body
- Embalming
- Cosmetic services on remains
- Funeral plot
- Headstone
These do not include the other costs incurred by loved ones, such as transportation from out of town, snacks and meals for visitors during the wake, ceremonies and burial.
Tips on how to save on funeral expenses
Pre-planning is the secret to saving costs on funeral expenses. Here are six ways to cut the costs on end-of-life services.
1. Know what kind of funeral is wanted.
If you are pre-planning your funeral or a funeral for someone else, it is best to get the recipient's opinion on the kind of funeral service they would like. While it seems like a taboo topic to discuss, it helps the person and the family get things in order ahead of time.
Decide on a cremation or a burial. To compare, cremation costs are usually cheaper than burial costs, as cremation eliminates the need for embalming and purchasing a plot of land for burial.
2. Purchase burial insurance.
Burial insurance is life insurance that helps your loved ones pay your funeral costs and debts in the event of death. This type of insurance usually accumulates cash value and stays in effect as long as premiums are paid.
Acquiring burial insurance for yourself or your loved ones allows you to save and pre-pay funeral costs in the form of premiums, leaving only minimal or even no fees to be paid when the time comes.
A $10,000 burial insurance benefit requires a $30 to $35 monthly premium for a 50-year-old man (this may vary depending on factors affecting health and coverage).
3. Do the research and compare prices.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) enforces The Funeral Rule wherein you can do comparison shopping of funeral homes and choose only the services you want. The FTC requires funeral homes to disclose information such as product and service prices to customers, including an itemized list of such during phone calls or personal visits.
For example, caskets are a high cost for burial, and funeral homes should provide you with a general price list (GPL) of these caskets, including their detailed information, so you can choose the lowest-priced casket available, if that’s what you want.
Another important tidbit: Embalming is not legally required by any state after death. Embalming may be necessary if the remains are not buried within a specific time frame for some states, but many do not require it at all.
Some funeral homes may require you to embalm the remains for public viewing. We recommend asking if refrigeration is available and if a family can have a private viewing without embalming — if that option works for you.
4. Choose immediate burial or cremation.
One cost-effective option for funeral expenses is immediate burial or cremation. With direct burial, you can eliminate embalming costs, which can be anywhere from $600 to $1,500. Immediate burial or cremation also reduces the payment cost for facilities and venue for viewing.
Many funeral homes offer basic funeral packages that don’t include funeral viewing, averaging $2,300, not including the casket.
5. Opt for a simple wake and funeral service.
If you don’t want to bypass a wake and funeral service, keeping it simple is the best way to save on funeral expenses. A funeral wake and service can be as simple and as extravagant as the family would like, but holding it simple could mean:
- Keeping the wake to fewer days
- Choosing a less expensive coffin
- Having a family member manage or oversee the wake and funeral service rather than a funeral director
- Not doing a procession
- Limiting the number of visitors or attendees
6. Consider donating your body for science.
Registering your intent to donate your body for science and medical research is a way to save costs on funeral expenses and also contribute to society. This comes at no cost to the donors, while it helps researchers learn more about the body and certain diseases.
Most donation programs start with registering your intent and signing a declaration. However, if you are already an organ donor, that would take priority over body donation.
There are many medical facilities and research centers where you can donate a body in the U.S., such as UCLA’s Donated Body Program or the Yale School of Medicine’s Willed Body Donation Program.
A family can still do a simple memorial service, but donation eliminates all the other costs incurred to preserve, transport and bury the remains.
In conclusion
Losing a loved one is difficult and emotional enough, so having as much as possible planned and paid-for funeral expenses beforehand can help ease the family’s mental and financial burden and allow the family to focus more on honoring their loved one’s memory.
related content
- Are Funeral Expenses Tax-Deductible? Everything You Need to Know
- With Holistic Estate Planning, Everything’s Under Control
- Funeral Planning Can Prevent Further Grief
- Three Overlooked Benefits of Estate Planning
- Estate Planning Checklist: Five Tasks to Prioritize
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.

Anthony Martin is CEO and Founder of Choice Mutual. Nationally licensed life insurance agent with 10+ years of experience. Official Member at Forbes Finance Council. Obsessed with finances, building tech and collaborating with other successful entrepreneurs.
-
Could This Little Known Data Shift Hurt Your 2026 Social Security COLA?
The BLS has changed how it measures the inflationary data that determines whether Social Security benefits will get a Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA). Will it hurt your benefits?
-
Financial Pros Provide a Beginner's Guide to Building Wealth in 10 Years
Building wealth over 10 years requires understanding your current financial situation, budgeting effectively, eliminating high-interest debt and increasing both your income and financial literacy.
-
Financial Pros Provide a Beginner's Guide to Building Wealth in 10 Years
Building wealth over 10 years requires understanding your current financial situation, budgeting effectively, eliminating high-interest debt and increasing both your income and financial literacy.
-
You're Divorced, But the Work Isn't Over: A Guide to Five Financial Tasks to Do ASAP
Once your divorce is settled, don't waste time. You've got to tie up some important loose ends or risk losing money and facing tax consequences.
-
Five Mistakes to Avoid in Your First Year of Retirement
Retirement brings the freedom to choose how to spend your money and time. But choices made in the initial rush of excitement could create problems in future.
-
I'm an Investing Expert: This Is How You Can Invest Like Warren Buffett
Buffett just invested $15 billion in oil and gas, and you can leverage the same strategy in your IRA to potentially generate 8% to 12% quarterly cash flow while taking advantage of tax benefits that are unavailable in any other investment class.
-
Integrity, Generosity and Wealth: A Faith-Based Approach to Business
Entrepreneurs who align their business and financial decisions with the biblical principles of integrity, generosity and helping others can realize impactful and fulfilling success.
-
How Much Income Can You Get From an Annuity? An Annuities Expert Gets Specific
Here's a detailed look at income annuities and the factors that determine your payout now and in the future.
-
Your Paycheck Stops in Retirement, But Your Life Doesn't: An Expert Guide to Planning for a Confident Future
Social Security will replace only about 40% of your salary, on average. A solid financial plan will help you plug the gap so you can rest easy in retirement.
-
Are You Jeopardizing Your Future to Help Your Adult Kids? An Expert Guide for How to Not Do That
If your adult child needs financial help, of course you want to provide it, but crafting a plan that also protects your financial and emotional well-being is vital.