Costs of a Funeral

Funeral costs in Singapore are very low due to a number of factors. A very low crime rate, good health and quality health care, low cost of living, and government support are some of the key factors behind this. Singapore is an inexpensive destination for funerals compared to many other countries. Even if the cost of sending a body from the US to Singapore is much higher than from Singapore, the cost of a body here is still much less.

A funeral usually consists of the pay of the casket, transportation to the mortuary, flowers, obituary/death notice, scripture reading at the Funeral Service Singapore, music, and other expenses. If there are extended family members to help in the funeral, it will mean additional expenses. The pay of the casket could be quite high. A simple wooden cremation container can easily cost one thousand dollars. Some families also send the cremation remains back to USA, where they can be buried. This would also incur additional expenses on their part.

The transportation costs are also costly. It does not include the cost of the limousine or the transfer from the morgue to the cemetery. Depending on the distance, the family may have to pay for the travel expenses from their home to the cemetery. Sometimes the family also needs to hire a driver to drive the vehicle from the residence to the mortuary. The family may need to find a friend or a relative who lives near the cemetery to drop off the deceased’s belongings during the drive to the mortuary.

How to Lower the Costs of a Funeral

Flowers are one expense that is often overlooked when planning a funeral. Depending on the religion of the deceased, there are separate flower vendors for the Christian and Hindu faiths. The Christian funeral flowers are available at St. James Cathedral while the Hindu funeral flowers can be found at the Asian Culture and Art Museum. Some people also choose to get both the Christian and Hindu funeral flowers. Since the cost is usually very high, the family will most likely have to cut down on other expenses to balance the funeral costs.

Food is another important expense that often gets overlooked. Depending on the culture of the deceased, the family may be charged extra for some foods. Chinese families may be charged extra for certain food items and American families may be charged extra for some snacks. There are times when these costs are not included in the total budget because the family is unable to add them in. Even if they can, the family will have to take into account other important aspects such as the number of attendees. Many Singapore churches have a limit per guest and that can significantly increase the overall funeral costs.

There are plenty of ways to reduce these costs. By simply looking around for discounts, families can easily save. Many cemeteries in Singapore offer funeral services at a very low cost. The services are usually free but the expenses include the officiating fee, the hearse fees, funeral decorations and headstone and cemetery fees.