Over the last year and a half, a significant amount of articles have been written on the effect of the economy on the funeral industry.  It is interesting to note that in all of the articles, it will state that cremation is a less expensive alternative to traditional burial and is one of the reasons why more people are choosing cremation.

Most of the articles will then go on to state what a typical funeral costs versus an average cost for a cremation.  Unfortunately, in many cases, the article is not comparing “apples to apples” because they are quoting the average price for a direct cremation.   This can be quite confusing for a family who will be fulfilling their loved one’s wishes for cremation but still desire some type of ceremony and permanent memorialization.    

There have been some articles that state the average cost for a cremation with a memorial service and average costs for a cremation urn.  However, in most instances, this is not the case. 

For this reason, it was refreshing to review a recent article in the Chicago Tribune Business Section entitled:  “Cremation catching on as way to save money, but costs not always lower”. The main reason I like the article is that gives the consumer more and better information.  It lists the description of a basic (direct) cremation with average costs in the Chicago area as well as a description and average costs for a traditional cremation.   The article also lists some average costs for different memorialization options in local cemeteries. 

Although there are times when we do not have control over what the media is reporting, most writers will contact local funeral establishments to get information on their subject.  This is an opportune time to provide the media with useful information to properly educate today’s consumer.  It is my belief that that when we supply more and better education, it will be much easier to connect with today’s cremation families.   

www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0524-cremation--20100524,0,7480202.story