I'll admit that gathering information about funeral prices is harder than it should be.  In addition, funeral homes and cemeteries are subject to different requirements when it comes to providing you with information about their prices and options.

Funeral prices are not set in stone

If you only take away one thing from this article it should be this: funeral prices can vary greatly from one funeral home to the next.  This means a funeral service at one funeral home can cost thousands of dollars more than a similar service held at another funeral home right down the street….so it pays to shop around!

Why most people don't compare funeral prices

Unfortunately, most people do not compare prices between funeral homes.  This is understandable for a couple of reasons:

    • We don’t like to talk about or plan for death
    • Funeral plans often need to be made quickly - this can be especially burdensome when the death was unexpected
    • Most people simply do not know enough about funeral planning to even know what questions to ask or what items to compare
    • No one wants to be perceived as being cheap when it comes to making funeral arrangements for a loved one

However, you should approach the process of buying funeral goods and services just like you would any other major purchase - take the time to educate yourself as to the options and prices available in the marketplace.