Now that the average cost of a basic funeral is topping 4,000 pounds, people are always keen to look for ways to reduce their bill. There are ways to reduce the total cost, it doesn’t mean that you have to go budget, but cutting back on one or two expenses can make all the difference. One of the best ways to lower the cost is to purchase an affordable memorial gravestone, just because the headstone is inexpensive does not necessarily mean that it will appear to be cheap. In fact there are a number of low cost options that still look elegant and respectful towards your loved ones. Here are some ways that you will be able to find an affordable memorial gravestone.

Buy from the source

You should buy your tombstone direct from the company that makes it, if you go through the mortuary then you will definitely end up paying more than if you do it privately. Cutting out the middleman in any business transaction will always save you money and make an instant saving. You should shop around for the best deal, there are lots of tombstone shops in major cities but online there are also a huge number of companies to choose from. You can always try to give companies a all, once you have found the one you like, and negotiate on the price.

Size is not important

It is obvious that the larger the gravestone the larger the cost, if you reduce the size of the gravestone then you are going to save yourself money. The gravestone should correspond to the size of the grave, you do not want it to be disproportionate.

Engraving

When you are leaving a lasting impression of your loved one in words it is sometimes difficult to cut back what you want to say, this will be what is forever on the gravestone and how they will be remembered. A lot of engravers charge per hour, so the more text you have then the more the engraving will cost. You should try to keep things simple; Name, Date of Birth and death, and a message of remembrance. If you leave enough space on the gravestone you can ask the engraver to visit the grave in the future and add more text. So, at an emotional time just add the basics and sit down with your family to decide what is best.

Saying goodbye to your loved ones is an important time, you should take your time making important decisions. Do not rush choosing a gravestone because it will be there forever, by discussing the options with family and experts you are sure to come to the right decision.