Four Things You Should Know When You're Considering Cremation Rather Than a Traditional Burial
Many people today choose to have their bodies cremated rather than burial in a cemetery plot or interred in a mausoleum. There are different reasons people have for this, but one common reason is that it is cheaper than a traditional funeral and burial. If you are considering cremation, there are a few things you should be aware of.
You have a variety of options for your ashes
Perhaps you have a spouse or children who would like to keep the ashes close to them. Your ashes can be placed in an urn by the mortuary and given to the person you specify in your will. You can also have the ashes placed in a temporary urn and then scattered at the place of your choice. There's also the option of having your urn buried in the cemetery, similar to a casket. With this option, you are taking up less area at the cemetery than you would with the casket. An urn can also be placed in a mausoleum, sometimes called a columbarium.
You can still have a funeral, including a viewing
One misunderstood aspect of cremation is that you cannot have a viewing, but because a viewing may be important to family members, they may discourage you from cremation. However, you can have a viewing in a casket. This casket, of course, is only temporary. After which, your body will be removed and prepared for cremation. Of course, this adds to the cost of cremation, but you will still be saving money on the burial plot and burial casket.
You can have a memorial service as a part of cremation services
Although you can have a funeral with or without a viewing before you are cremated; also, you can also have a memorial service without your body. The memorial will take place after your body is cremated, and comes with the option of having your ashes present at the service or not.
You can pay for your services in advance
Just as a funeral home allows you to pay for your cemetery plot, casket, and funeral services in advance, you can pay for your cremation services in advance. You may want to consider this, so you can look at everything various local funeral homes offer. If you don't have the financial ability to pay in advance, but you have a small, end-of-life insurance policy, you may be able to make the funeral home of your choice the beneficiary.
If you're thinking about cremation, you should know there are a variety of options with cremation. This includes a viewing or memorial service, and all of these services can be paid for in advance. For more information, you can take your questions to a local funeral home that offers cremation.
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