Cremation vs. Burial: Making an Informed Decision

When you have to start making the difficult decisions of afterlife planning, there can be a lot for you to decide.

One choice you have to make is getting a traditional burial or doing a cremation instead. Nothing else will be able to take place until the body has been put to rest.

Using a “cremation near me” service can have similarities to burial services. There also are some differences. Knowing what you can do with each option will help you choose what’s right for you or your loved one.

Here are several things for you to consider when making the decision between cremation vs. burial.

Both Options Allow for an Open Viewing Memorial Service

Thankfully, both options allow you to have an open viewing at your memorial service if that is what you would like to do. Cremation and burial services will first embalm the body for preservation. Next they will use photos to try and make the loved one look as close to what is remembered of them as possible.

Embalming is Not Needed with Cremation but is Required with Burial

If you do not want an open-viewing display, do not worry; you don’t have to get one. You can do a closed casket for a traditional burial. For cremation services, you can choose to have the urn present at the memorial or not.

For a traditional burial, the body will still need to be embalmed. That is the standard practice to stay working within most local city or town regulations. Cremation services will only embalm a body if there is an open viewing service.

An Urn Can Be Taken Almost Anywhere You Want

When you get cremation, the remains of the loved one are put inside a container called an urn. Conveniently, urns are moveable, which is nice if you would like to travel somewhere to do a memorial service. They can go in a plane or in a car, and can be carried to a beautiful spot where remains can be left.

This is not the case with a traditional burial service. You need a long enough vehicle to transport a casket safely. Often transporting the casket just to the cemetery can be enough of an expense.

Using “Cremation Near Me” Services vs. Traditional Burial Can Save You Money

There are times when you need to plan an extremely cost efficient afterlife service. If this is the case, cremation is the way to go. You can express to the people helping provide this service your need to keep things all cost efficient as possible.

Even the bare minimum traditional burials still have the potential to cost three times that of a bare minimum cremation.

Weigh the Information to Help with Your Decision

Now, with the information provided in this article you can make the best informed decision on whether you want a traditional burial or a cremation.

If you choose to go with the latter,  you can see finding “cremation near me” services is quite easy.

Kenneth

Kenneth is a proud native of sydney, born and raised there. However, he pursued his education abroad and studied in Australia. Kenneth has worked as a journalist for almost a decade, making valuable contributions to prominent publications such as Yahoo News and The Verge. Currently, he serves as a journalist for The Hear Up, where he focuses on covering climate and science news. You can reach Kenneth at [email protected].