Funerals at funeral homes Mentor, OH can be expensive, depending on what services you choose. But that doesn’t mean you cannot arrange a memorable last service for your loved one without spending a fortune.

Below are some creative ideas to plan an affordable funeral. But remember that you won’t be able to follow all these tips in a single service, so choose the ones that suit your circumstances and wishes.

1. Explore All Your Options

Rule #1, never make a decision in haste. Before choosing what’s best for your loved one, be sure to go through all your options, like whether to select burial or cremation, which casket or urn to buy, what to serve to the guests, and so on.

Ask your funeral director to give you recommendations to make the service more memorable. Sit back, think about each option, and decide what meets your budget. This will save you from expensive mistakes.

2. Shop Around

Call up the funeral homes in your area and ask for pricing. Not only it will give you an idea about the prices of different services and products, but it will also help you decide if the funeral home is the right fit. If the prices are snippy or not so transparent, start looking for other options.

Try to hit the local market and get prices for the services you want. Also, explore online options and assess if you should buy from the funeral home or outside.

3. Negotiate to Get Discounts

Don’t shy from bargaining with the funeral home manager to keep costs to a minimum. It’s their job to make arrangements that suit your needs, and they can help you best when they know what you want.

Simply asking for the prices of different items may help you get better rates on certain products or services. But be reasonable. The funeral director and staff need to earn a living.

Another simple idea for saving money is asking for an itemized price list in advance of all the services you will be purchasing. Often, funeral homes offer a complete funeral package that also includes the services you don’t even want. Get a quote for individual services to ensure you don’t have any surprise charges tacked on.

4. Keep Obituary Brief

An obituary is a death notice that you post in the local newspaper to inform the local community about the loss and the funeral details. It also highlights key phases and achievements of the departed soul,

Remember that newspapers often charge per word for the obituary. Make it short for big savings. Or post the obituary online with a free memorial website to save money.

5. Preplan Your Service

Want to save your loved ones from the hassle of spending lots of money on your final services? Start preplanning for your own funeral. Not only you can start paying for the services you want, but it also gives you the chance to celebrate your last services at funeral homes Mentor, OH, as you wanted without overburdening the family.