Losing a loved one is enough of an emotional struggle without having the stress and strain of trying to afford the funeral service, too. The truth is, while funeral services can be expensive, they don't have to be. Here are a few things that you can consider as opportunities to save money without sacrificing the quality of the memorial service.

Restrict the Visiting Hours

In most cases, there are visiting hours planned a day or so before the actual funeral for people to pay their respects. You'll have to pay a fee for those visiting hours, so talk with the funeral home about how you can reduce the cost. Sometimes, the funeral home will offer a discount on the fees if you hold the visiting hours shortly before the funeral. This discount comes because the funeral home is already setting up for the service, so there's little extra effort associated with the visiting hours.

Skip Embalming

Most funeral homes offer embalming so that you can have an open casket during the funeral service. If you leave the casket closed during the funeral instead, you can skip embalming. This can save you significantly on your total funeral cost, because embalming can be an expensive service.

Choose Services Carefully

You may also be able to save on funeral service costs by opting for cremation over burial. If your funeral home charges you based on how many attendees you have, think about focusing on a small, graveside service instead. Then, you can have a memorial for all of the friends and family at a local church or other facility.  

Plan Ahead

While advanced planning might not help you with the cost of the loved one's funeral that you're planning now, it could certainly help reduce the cost of your own service later. Talk with the funeral home about what discounts they may provide for advanced planning and up-front payment. Just be sure that you have a contract clearly stating the price so that there's no risk of increases later. This protects both your family members and the funeral home, because all of the expectations will be clearly defined.

With the information presented here, you'll be able to plan your loved one's memorial service without adding financial strain to an already grief-stricken time. Additionally, by planning ahead with your own service, you may be able to save your loved ones from the same struggles you're experiencing now.