Top 4 Mistakes to Avoid While Funeral Planning

Do you know how to plan a funeral? It can be overwhelming particularly during a time of grief and loss; get your house in order and manifest your final wishes with funeral planning tips that ensure you won’t fall prey to common pitfalls and errors in judgement. No one knows what tomorrow will bring; make sure that your house is in order by addressing funeral planning – and making tough decisions, now.
When planning a funeral service in Melbourne, avoid these 4 common mistakes:
1. Fail to Preplan
The biggest mistake that any consumer can make while funeral planning is to fail to do so! Make sure that you pre-plan; failure to preplan leaves the burden of making and paying for final arrangements on the shoulders of those you leave behind. Plus, you can lock in your funeral cost by paying for it now, rather than leaving it on those surviving you. Talk to a funeral director to discuss price points and payment terms so that you can begin making your final arrangements now. This further allows you to make decisions related to your own wishes and to leave the legacy of your choosing.
2. Dismiss Cremation
Don’t overlook the prospect of cremation; in 1958, only about one in 28 Americans were cremated upon death, and now around 40% of those that die are cremated in the United States. Australia is following-suit, and it is estimated that over a million people were cremated in 2012 across the globe. Some of the compelling reasons why people are electing to be cremated when they pass include:
- For fiscal reasons; a cremation package costs less than half of a traditional burial.
- For environmental reasons; cremation reduces the carbon-footprint that you leave behind.
- For creative reasons; many are keeping cremated remains at home, in jewelry, or in other living testaments that traditional burials simply don’t allow.
Talk to funeral and cremation professionals to learn more about your cremation options. The cost, flexibility, and eco-friendly aspects could be enough to sway those planning a traditional interment.
3. Keep Quiet
Another common mistake is to not discuss your plans, wishes, and arrangements with your loved ones, or those surviving you. Your final plans should not be a big secret; inform family and friends now so that they are aware and informed should the unexpected occur. Naturally, this can be made easier with thorough preplanning, but whether you have preplanned your funeral or not, let those you leave behind know what you want when the inevitable happens. Death is part of life; don’t keep quiet about it. Keep an open and honest dialogue regarding the subject with those that care for you and to ensure everyone is aware of your wishes.
4. Wait Until Tomorrow
The final and perhaps biggest mistake that consumers make while planning their funeral arrangements is to stall or delay their planning. Most people think that funeral planning is something that can wait until tomorrow; sadly, many don’t live to achieve this goal. In a recent survey, nearly a quarter of those polled stated that they intend to preplan, while another 17% have no intent of preplanning their final arrangements. Don’t make the mistake of stalling or procrastinating your funeral preplanning. Worried about the cost? Talk to your funeral director or planner to find financial arrangements and payment methods that work for you; don’t let money be the reason that you don’t act on funeral preplanning- today!
You can avoid the pitfalls and common mistakes while funeral planning by consulting with a funeral and cremation expert. Put worries aside and know that you have made your final arrangements and taken the burden off those you love later. We look forward to guiding you through the process to avoid these four common misnomers and mistakes when preparing for the inevitable.
Are you making these funeral planning mistakes? Call us at Fixed Price Cremations in Melbourne 1300 262 797 for more information and insight into How to Arrange a Funeral in Australia for you or your loved one. We can help to guide you through the process of making your final arrangements and ensure you don’t make these 4 common mistakes while funeral planning.