In the economy we live in today, funeral costs are on the rise and locating the lowest and best priced funeral materials can be difficult. One of the advantages to the internet is that it can provide you with more cost saving solutions for the funeral or memorial service you are planning.

Funeral planning is very much like arranging a wedding except you've got a shorter window of time for the planning and preparations.

Here are some ideas to cut back expenses for a funeral of a loved one:

1. Cremation is an alternative method which is on the rise because you will not have to have the body embalmed, buy a plot of land for burial and purchase a casket to case the body.

2. You can keep the ashes at a cemetery and purchase a small space to contain the ashes which is considerably less than a plot of land. The container for the ashes or "urn" is much less than the price of a casket.

3. The funeral music can be provided by a close friend who can either present a singing solor or play music from a CD recording.

4. You can save costs by not having a funeral home assist in the funeral arrangements and having a friend or family member facilitate the funeral or memorial service.

5. You can enlist the help of a family member or friend to officiate the funeral service. This would include presenting a eulogy, encouraging word, or introduce the next order of service.

6. Have the after funeral service reception at a home and ask family and friends to help prepare the food. Support will come from family and friends during a time of loss and will often provide meals and food for the bereaved family.

7. By creating the funeral service program yourself, you can save a lot of money but still produce a wonderful cherished memorial of your loved one. Home printers can produce the funeral service programs and provide you with a cost savings instead of taking them to a commercial printer.


You can purchase a handsome funeral program template on the internet for under $20.00. You will get a pre-designed program that is easily customizable.

If you want to have a cover photo on the program, you will only need to import that and edit your text.The program will have a front AND back design as well as an insider page coordinating layout.

Almost all funeral resources on the web sell funeral service programs with just the front cover and all other pages are a blank canvas.

You wouldn't buy a book for only the front cover design, so the funeral service program should contain multiple designed pages.

The Funeral Programs Site is an example of a good resource for discount funeral service programs that are designed with front, back and inside pages format.