Is Winter the Best Time to Pre-Plan a Funeral?
Is Winter the Best Time to Pre-Plan a Funeral?
Like most industries, there is a busy season and a non-busy season for funeral homes. Although no one can predict their time of death, funeral homes tend to see more traffic during the summer months. More families choose this time to make pre-arrangements, purchase cemetery plots, and inter ashes they may have been holding onto since the winter. Because it can be difficult to open up the ground under piles of snow (and because gathering funeral guests around the holidays is almost impossible), people may also put off traditional burial until the warmer months.
What this means for you, the consumer, is that you may want to use the holiday season as a time to re-evaluate your financial future and to set aside some money for future funeral plans. Bundle up in winter gear to visit a cemetery (they will be happy to walk you through prices and packages) or call a local funeral home to ask about pre-plan options.
Save Money with Winter Funeral Plans
Because funeral homes might not see as much traffic during the winter months, you could be able to take advantage of discounted pre-plan packages during this time. Funeral directors may have more time to sit down with you to answer questions about the funeral planning process, and they may offer percentage discounts if you are willing to sign up for a package right away.
Although it is best to avoid the actual holiday season as a time to plan an advance funeral, now might also be a good time to consider giving a cemetery plot or pre-plan package as a gift. This is not the sort of gift you offer someone as a surprise, but since the entire family will be gathered for the holidays anyway, you may want to start discussing options and look at funeral homes to see what advantages they have to offer.
Give the Gift of Peace
Winter and the holiday season tend to be times of reflection, of re-visiting the past, and of looking ahead to the New Year. Perhaps that is why it is best to start planning a funeral during this time. You are with family, and that is the most important thing.
Regardless of what season you pre-plan a funeral, it is always best to think ahead and start having important conversations now. While we think winter is an ideal time to visit funeral homes and start organizing your financial paperwork, the truth is that there is no bad time to pre-plan a funeral.
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