Cemeteries in Matthews, NC, can get pricey. From caskets and flowers to basic embalming and fees, many services might be out of your price range. While there are lost cost options, you might need extra help. If you are working with a smaller budget, you can use these tips to get help paying for or lower the cost of a funeral and associated services:

First, try 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, or 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.

You can also look into preplanning or low-cost options. Check the deceased’s papers and information to see if they made any plans to help pay for their funeral. They might have put in place things such as Prepaying programs, funeral insurance, life insurance, or payable-on-death bank accounts. If you still can’t get enough funding, there are tons of low-cost funeral and cremation options you can choose from, including:

• Memorial service at home or a community center
• Pot-luck food for the service
• Service at a church or other religious establishment
• Body donation to a medical school or other organization (Science Care is the world’s largest body donor program)
• Direct cremation
• Burial on family land or a family plot

Finally, there’s 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 include:

• Medicare
• Medicaid
• The Bureau of Indian Affairs
• The Railroad Retirement Board
• Veteran’s Administration

Remember, there is no shame in asking for help when you need it, especially in a sensitive time after a loss. Don’t be embarrassed or feel guilty for using these tips to help save money at a funeral home, cemetery, or wherever you are planning services for your lost loved one.

Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Garden is here for you if you want more tips on how to save money at a funeral home, or would like to learn more about Matthews, NC cemeteries. Please visit us or give us a call today. We’re happy to do what we can to help in your time of loss or of preplanning.