Paying for a funeral is one of the most expensive things you will need to do in your lifetime. There are funeral home costs, including embalming the body, paying for funeral services and flowers, and buying a casket. This doesn't even include the memorial service or wake you might want to have before or after the actual funeral service. If a loved one dies and you can't afford to throw them the funeral they want, you might turn to crowdfunding as an option. Here are some things to know about crowdfunding to help you decide if it is the right option for you.

What is crowdfunding?

Crowdfunding is the process of raising many with various donations made by multiple people. The donations can be big or small, from $5 to hundreds of dollars. The point of crowdfunding is to earn a specific amount of money with different types of donations from family, friends, and anyone else that wants to help someone in need. The reason it works so well is because it is all done online, shared through email, social media networks, and online web forums.

How does it work with funeral expenses?

Crowdfunding can help when raising money for just about anything, including funerals. Since funeral expenses are so high, it makes sense that you would want to try and raise the money with the help from others. It is important that when preparing the crowdfunding page, you explain exactly why you are raising money for funeral expenses. Perhaps your loved one went through a long, chronic illness, and the medical bills piled up so high that there is nothing left to pay for the funeral with. This type of information will help when others decide if they want to donate or not.

What are the benefits of crowdfunding funeral expenses?

There are many benefits to having your loved one's funeral expenses crowdfunded. First of all, it lets you give them the funeral they wished for, even if you can't afford it. If you know your father wanted to be buried, but all you can afford is a cremation, this is a very good reason to try and raise the money for his funeral.

It also benefits others who want to pay their respects but would not be able to attend the funeral. If your sister passed recently and all the friends she met when traveling abroad for college want to pay their respects, they can do so by donating to your online fundraiser for her funeral instead of trying to figure out how to travel internationally for the service. It gives other people the sense that they are paying their respects, literally.

Lastly, crowdfunding works well because of how quickly these pages are shared through social media. Not just close friends and family will be sharing and donating, but it could be passed to hundreds of people who want to help.

What are the drawbacks of crowdfunding funeral expenses?

One thing to keep in mind is that not all crowdfunding sites will give you the funds right away. You need to do your research to figure out how you get access to the funds. Some will let you withdraw money from the site into your bank account at any time, while others require you to wait until the end of the fundraising campaign or wait until you reach a certain amount. This tends to be the biggest drawback.

You might also find it embarrassing to admit to others that you need help and can't afford to pay for the funeral on your own. This is another reason why some people choose not to go the crowdfunding route.

Crowdfunding can be a great way to pay for funeral costs for your loved one, but it's not for everybody. If you need more information about funding options for your loved one's funeral, contact a local funeral home like M J Murphy Funeral Home.