Losing a loved one can represent a significant emotional hardship for your family. Unfortunately, planning to lay your loved one to rest can be a financial hardship as well. Many people are choosing to be cremated in order to help reduce funeral expenses.

If your loved one has requested cremation, here are three important tips to keep in mind if you want to keep your cremation costs low.

1. Stick with a basic cremation casket.

Many families opt to have a wake or viewing prior to the cremation of a loved one. Spending these final few moments with a loved one can provide the opportunity to say goodbye and gain closure, but a wake or viewing has the potential to add unnecessary costs to your loved one's funeral expenses.

Rather than investing in a costly casket for the wake or viewing, opt to have your loved one displayed in a basic cremation casket instead. This will ensure that you only need to purchase one casket, helping you keep cremation costs low when finances are tight.

2. Purchase your own urn.

If you plan to keep your loved one's ashes and place them on display, you will want to have a decorative urn that will house these ashes and help you honor the memory of your loved one. Purchasing an urn through your funeral home could be costly, so it's important to recognize that you can purchase an urn on your own through a third-party provider.

The funeral home will transfer your loved one's ashes to you in a secure plastic bag placed in a thick box. You can then have the ashes transferred into an affordable urn of your choosing before placing your loved one's remains in a prominent location within your home.

3. Opt for a direct cremation.

When you really need to cut costs when it comes to the cremation of a loved one, opting for a direct cremation is a good option. Although a direct cremation doesn't afford your family the opportunity for a viewing or wake, you can still hold a memorial service to honor your loved one once you receive his or her ashes.

The cost of embalming can be anywhere from $200 to $700. When there is no viewing or wake, no embalming is required. Opting for a direct cremation can save your family a significant amount of money when it comes to making arrangements after a loved one's death.

Being able to identify some simple ways to keep cremation costs low will allow you to prevent a loved one's death from creating a financial hardship on you or your family in the future. Contact a company like Ahlgrim & Sons Funeral And Cremation Services LTD to learn more.