There are plenty of parties and life events that you will plan for in your life, but few are as important as planning your own funeral. Sure, it’s not something people like to think about, much less talk about, but the fact is that by planning your own funeral, you take all the stress and worry off your loved ones’ plates. It is no longer someone else’s responsibility to take care of the details while they are busy grieving their loss.
So, before you go ahead and get started on planning your funeral, here are a few things you need to know that will make the process go much smoother.
Have a Budget in Mind
Most people are aware of the fact that funerals aren’t exactly cheap, but that doesn’t mean you have to feel obligated to spend a fortune. Instead, create a budget that you feel comfortable spending, and then all the other arrangements will have to fall into line with that set number.
Choose How You Want Your Body to Be Dealt With
The next step is choosing how you want your body to be dealt with – cremation or a burial. This is a very personal decision and one you can take your time thinking over. It will also help to determine where your remains are placed/buried. That could be a traditional gravesite in an outdoor setting, an indoor mausoleum, having your ashes remain at a loved one’s house, or even having them scattered in a place that carries meaning for you.
Create a Guest List
While it may seem a bit weird to create a guest list for your own funeral, again it’s about making things easy on your loved ones. If there is already a list they can refer to, it makes contacting people much easier and faster.
Enlist the Help of a Funeral Services Director
For those planning to use a funeral home for the funeral service, you can actually speak to the funeral service director about what they offer. Many of these places are meant to be a one-stop-shop, meaning everything can be done through them, making the process extremely simple.
Take Wojcik’s Funeral Chapels and Crematoriums, a Winnipeg funeral home, which offers direct cremation without a service, a service of remembrance, and traditional burial funeral services. Rather than you running around to various businesses and vendors, you can do everything in one location.
Speak to Your Loved Ones About Your Wishes
It’s also not enough to just do the planning yourself, rather, it’s a good idea to speak to your loved ones about your wishes. Let them know what you envision and what you have planned so there are no surprises or confusion when the time comes.
It Doesn’t Have to Be a Taboo Subject
No-one likes to think about dying, but the fact is that it happens to everyone, so taking that taboo out of the equation and approaching a funeral in a matter-of-fact manner can make the details easier for all.