Let's talk funerals
They're not as scary as you think
3 Reasons preparing for your own funeral
Make your passing easier for your loved ones
By Nat Juchems, www.greenmeadowmemorials.com/cremation-urnsGreen Meadow Memorials
Death is an inevitable part of life. Yet in spite of its impending presence, death is still one of the
most troubling experiences many of us will face in our lives. What makes this process worse, is
that after the passing of a loved one, we’re confronted with yet again harrowing ordeal: planning
a funeral.
This is something we rarely consider until it’s happening and it’s too late, but organizing a
funeral can make the grieving process harder to cope with. That being said, you can make
everything a lot easier on yourself and your loved ones if you get everything in order now.
Planning your own funeral may seem like a macabre and uncomfortable process to many, but
when you consider how your family will be confronted with this process, fore-planning is
definitely a better alternative. No matter how old you are, it’s wise to plan or at least consider
planning for your funeral now.
Since death is so unpredictable, it’s best to be prepared before it’s too late. Here are three ways
preparing that your own funeral can lessen the emotional burden from your loved ones.
Lessen the Financial Burden
Unfortunately, funerals can be quite expensive. If you’ve planned a funeral, you will know that
there are countless costs involved with this process. According to the Lincoln Heritage Funeral
Advantage, the average funeral can cost up to $9,000 or more, depending on the service. Even
if you leave your family some money in your will, they will not be able to access it immediately
and the typical American does not have this type of money at their disposal.
To lessen the financial burden, you can start setting aside some money now. You can even opt
for funeral insurance, if you can manage it. When buying a policy, you can choose to sit down
with a funeral director and work out the details of your services.
Furthermore, if you leave it to your loved ones to plan, they may feel obliged or have the desire
to buy the best of everything, making the costs continue to pile on. While some costs are fixed,
if you don’t care what kind of casket you’re buried in, for example, don’t let your family pay for it.
One of the only ways to stop this from happening is by organizing or paying for your funeral in
advance.
Your Wishes Are Clarified
When it comes to funeral arrangements, making decisions can be difficult. But when your family
is confronted with these choices, stress can amplify. The painful deliberation process of
weighing up options and having to determine whether they made the right choice is something
you would not want your family to experience.
One of the biggest areas of concern is deciding what type of funeral to have. If your family
decided on a traditional burial, they will always wonder if you would have preferred to be
cremated, or vice versa. Then, if you are cremated, they will be unsure whether to keep your
ashes in a cremation urn or spread them someplace special to you.
The decisions don’t stop there. From deciding what outfit to dress you in, what song to play and
what Maya Angelou quote to read, the list is dauntingly endless. This is why it’s a good idea to
outline your wishes in detail to alleviate your family from the anguish which could burned them
for a lifetime.
Will Ease the Grieving Process
Evidently, the feelings associated with grief will always linger. While grief will always remain,
over time, this pain will become easier to manage. Often, the process of organizing a funeral
can hinder the healing process of a grief-stricken loved one. This is because the stress and
responsibility involved with planning a service pushes grief under the surface. Essentially, if a
funeral is not pre-planned, your loved ones may compartmentalize their emotions in order to
face the colossal task of arranging your service.
You can prevent this delayed or extended grieving process by taking the responsibility of
planning your funeral from your family’s shoulders. If you provide your loved ones with clear
instructions of your wishes and pre-pay for some expenses, you will allow your family to
experience the full depth of their grief. Ultimately, by removing as many hurdles as you can,
your family can healthily ease their way through this painful process.
Nat Juchems is the Marketing Director at Green Meadow Memorials. Nat helps those grieving the loss of a loved find the right memorial to cherish. Before becoming the Marketing Director at Green Meadow Memorials, Nat worked for six years in the memorials ecommerce industry as a Marketing Director and Ecommerce Director, using his skill set to manage powerful paid search and organic search campaigns as well as implement merchandising strategies and manage the software development teams that made everything work.
most troubling experiences many of us will face in our lives. What makes this process worse, is
that after the passing of a loved one, we’re confronted with yet again harrowing ordeal: planning
a funeral.
This is something we rarely consider until it’s happening and it’s too late, but organizing a
funeral can make the grieving process harder to cope with. That being said, you can make
everything a lot easier on yourself and your loved ones if you get everything in order now.
Planning your own funeral may seem like a macabre and uncomfortable process to many, but
when you consider how your family will be confronted with this process, fore-planning is
definitely a better alternative. No matter how old you are, it’s wise to plan or at least consider
planning for your funeral now.
Since death is so unpredictable, it’s best to be prepared before it’s too late. Here are three ways
preparing that your own funeral can lessen the emotional burden from your loved ones.
Lessen the Financial Burden
Unfortunately, funerals can be quite expensive. If you’ve planned a funeral, you will know that
there are countless costs involved with this process. According to the Lincoln Heritage Funeral
Advantage, the average funeral can cost up to $9,000 or more, depending on the service. Even
if you leave your family some money in your will, they will not be able to access it immediately
and the typical American does not have this type of money at their disposal.
To lessen the financial burden, you can start setting aside some money now. You can even opt
for funeral insurance, if you can manage it. When buying a policy, you can choose to sit down
with a funeral director and work out the details of your services.
Furthermore, if you leave it to your loved ones to plan, they may feel obliged or have the desire
to buy the best of everything, making the costs continue to pile on. While some costs are fixed,
if you don’t care what kind of casket you’re buried in, for example, don’t let your family pay for it.
One of the only ways to stop this from happening is by organizing or paying for your funeral in
advance.
Your Wishes Are Clarified
When it comes to funeral arrangements, making decisions can be difficult. But when your family
is confronted with these choices, stress can amplify. The painful deliberation process of
weighing up options and having to determine whether they made the right choice is something
you would not want your family to experience.
One of the biggest areas of concern is deciding what type of funeral to have. If your family
decided on a traditional burial, they will always wonder if you would have preferred to be
cremated, or vice versa. Then, if you are cremated, they will be unsure whether to keep your
ashes in a cremation urn or spread them someplace special to you.
The decisions don’t stop there. From deciding what outfit to dress you in, what song to play and
what Maya Angelou quote to read, the list is dauntingly endless. This is why it’s a good idea to
outline your wishes in detail to alleviate your family from the anguish which could burned them
for a lifetime.
Will Ease the Grieving Process
Evidently, the feelings associated with grief will always linger. While grief will always remain,
over time, this pain will become easier to manage. Often, the process of organizing a funeral
can hinder the healing process of a grief-stricken loved one. This is because the stress and
responsibility involved with planning a service pushes grief under the surface. Essentially, if a
funeral is not pre-planned, your loved ones may compartmentalize their emotions in order to
face the colossal task of arranging your service.
You can prevent this delayed or extended grieving process by taking the responsibility of
planning your funeral from your family’s shoulders. If you provide your loved ones with clear
instructions of your wishes and pre-pay for some expenses, you will allow your family to
experience the full depth of their grief. Ultimately, by removing as many hurdles as you can,
your family can healthily ease their way through this painful process.
Nat Juchems is the Marketing Director at Green Meadow Memorials. Nat helps those grieving the loss of a loved find the right memorial to cherish. Before becoming the Marketing Director at Green Meadow Memorials, Nat worked for six years in the memorials ecommerce industry as a Marketing Director and Ecommerce Director, using his skill set to manage powerful paid search and organic search campaigns as well as implement merchandising strategies and manage the software development teams that made everything work.
