cremations in Walnut Creek, CA

4 Ways to Save Money On Cremations

Losing a family member or loved one is never easy. The high cost of cremations in Walnut Creek, CA and the rest of the country often compounds the stress and pain of a death. Even simple cremations can be expensive, not including the costs of services and other products. There is no shame in looking for help with paying for or lowering the cost of cremations. Here are 4 ways to do just that:

  • Preplanning – Check the deceased’s papers and information to see if they made any plans to help pay for their cremation. They might have put in place things such as:
    • Prepaying programs
    • Funeral insurance
    • Life insurance
    • Payable-on-death bank account
  • Fund Raising – Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your community, neighborhood, friends or other family. You’d be surprised how quickly people will chip in. Get creative with fund raising like:
    • Car washes or bake sales
    • Church groups or donations
    • Memorial funds at the deceased’s workplace or bank
    • Crowd funding websites like GoFundMe.com or GiveForward.com

Social media is also a great tool to make your need known and get more people involved. Don’t be afraid to share any fund raising, or write posts about your need.

  • Government Assistance – Local, state and even federal government programs can help pay for funerals and cremations. Check with your local social service, county treasurer, or public fiduciary to see if any systems are in place. These programs have varying requirements, especially since local government budgets are tight and they are making such programs more difficult to qualify for. Be sure to double check that you are eligible.

The Social Security Administration can also provide assistance. Call to report a death and you may be eligible for a lump sum of $225 or other survivor benefits. Other federal programs that can help are:

    • Medicare, Medicaid and the Veteran’s Administration
    • The Bureau of Indian Affairs
    • The Railroad Retirement Board
  • Low Cost Options – If you still can’t get enough funding, there are tons of low-cost cremation options you can choose from, including:
    • Host the memorial service at home, the community center, church or other religious establishment
    • Bring pot-luck food for the service
    • Choose body donation to a medical school or other organization (Science Care is the world’s largest body donor program)
    • Look into direct cremations
    • Bury the cremains on family land or a family plot

If you need more information on any of these 4 tips, or would like to learn more about Walnut Creek, CA cremations, Deer Creek Funeral Service can help. We strive to offer well-priced and expert services to make a time of loss easier and less stressful. Please pay us a visit at 20630 Redwood Rd Castro Valley, CA 94546, or give us a call at (510) 317-7890 to learn more about what we can do for you.