“Discussing death doesn’t have to be taboo. It’s never too late to get prepared.”
Why should I arrange my own funeral?
In most cases, it is difficult to think about death without feeling a little morbid. Talking about death can even be considered somewhat taboo. Death is the one indisputable event that all of humanity has in common, and yet dwelling on this reality usually brings with it a sense of discomfort or anxiety. At NEO Cremations, whilst we understand that death is rarely a welcome visitor, we do believe that it need not be considered with such foreboding.
It’s all your choice
In fact, this attitude seems to be becoming more common amongst the younger generation: a recent survey found that 19 percent of 18–34 yr olds who had experienced a loss then went on to plan their own arrangements.
Did you know that in Ghana pallbearers life the mood at funerals with flamboyant coffin-carrying dances?
Reduce the stress
In addition to ensuring you are sent off as you see fit, arranging your own funeral can significantly reduce the stress for others who might have had to plan in your place.
It is another unavoidable truth that some of us will outlive our nearest and dearest. If those remaining to make your funeral preparations are not as well versed on your preferences, then they may feel anxious making significant choices on your behalf.
In what is already an emotionally distressing time, removing the necessity of making difficult decisions by having planned in advance can provide sought-after clarity and eliminate much cause for worry.
How do I arrange my own funeral?
First and foremost, you should decide what you would like to happen to your body. The three common options are burial, cremation or donation and each selection will lead to various other decisions. This is a good starting point however, and one that will guide you in the right direction for what needs to be considered next.
If you decide to be buried for example, you might then think about where you would like your burial plot to be, what type of casket you would like to be buried in (if at all), or how you might like the place to be marked. Opting for a cremation or donation will also lead to further considerations, albeit different ones.
Doing the paperwork
Once these options have been considered and decisions made, it’s important that your preferences are put into a legal document. You will be able to have these drawn up after consulting with a wills and trust attorney, or you could refer to online sources that offer guidance on the process.
Following this, make sure copies of the documents can be easily found after your death. This could involve giving copies to: family and relatives; the funeral home you might like to use; local hospitals or the place you would be taken to in case of an emergency, and primary care doctors. With greater visibility of your preferences comes less room for error.
Payment If you wish to arrange your own funeral, you should consider the payment. Some people begin saving at an early stage and you will find that small, regular contributions to a savings account can go a long way.
Alternatively, you might like to buy funeral insurance from your preferred funeral home. This option operates in much the same way that house or car insurance does: exacting monthly payments from a policy that pays out upon the event of your death.
There are various other options and it is good to allow yourself time to explore them, as funerals are never inexpensive: In 2019 the Royal London National Funeral Cost Index 2019 found that the average cost of a basic burial was £4,321 whilst that of cremation was £3,266.
Arranging your funeral with NEO Cremations
What does our service entail?
At NEO Cremations, we offer green, direct cremations for a fixed fee of £1,295. In the event of your death, we will collect you in a private ambulance and carry out an unattended cremation before returning your ashes to your designated agent in a bio-urn.
How will NEO Cremations help you?
With our transparent pricing, we hope to remove much of the financial concern affiliated with funeral planning. Our service and cost include no ceremonial extras and so aim to simplify your decision-making. When you choose NEO Cremations, you select a highly-dignified and simple send off, one that is carried out with the utmost care and professionalism, and that is free of any hidden costs.
How you can celebrate with NEO Cremations
As a race, we are becoming increasingly conscientious of the effects we are having on our planet, and now even death is considered to be an avenue by which we can implement change.
Whilst a cremation is greener than a burial, it still consumes a large amount of energy and is therefore a carbon intensive process. So, with every cremation carried out at NEO Cremations we carry out a 200% minimum carbon offset using our tree-planting charity partners. Our common goal is to plant 1 million trees with the targeted aim of making us net-earth positive by 2025.
In light of this, whilst discussions concerning death might still feel uncomfortable, we are beginning to undergo them with increasing practicality and with our direct cremations, we hope these conversations might even become a cause for excitement.
We hope that in planning your funeral arrangements with us, you will celebrate; knowing that your final act of consumption will be complimented by an even greater act of regeneration.
