The costs of living can be quite pricey. Ironically, however, the costs of dying can be quite steep as well. On top of medical bills, family members will have to shoulder funeral costs and they do not come cheap. Although it may not be your initial concern when you are grieving, there are several ways you can cut back on funeral expenses. Shop around for funeral directors first and compare costs before finalizing plans to hire one. Consider having the burial at natural woodland areas or your own property rather than at a plot in a local cemetery. Use your own vehicle to transport the body rather than the funeral home’s hearse. Use flowers from your own garden rather than having elaborate floral arrangements made. Have relatives and friends be the pallbearers.  

Veteran District fire lieutenant Kevin McRae, who died in the line of duty, will be laid to rest on Friday at the D.C. Armory in Southeast Washington. Funeral services will follow the public viewing on the same day. Lt. McRae was came out of the ninth floor of a burning apartment when he collapsed and passed away later in the hospital. He’s survived by his wife and three children. “Lt. McRae was a true hero,” Mayor Muriel E. Bowser (D) said in a statement Sunday announcing the funeral arrangements. “For more than two decades, he served his city with distinction and made the ultimate sacrifice while helping others.” This McRae family is not stranger to tragedy. Lt. McRae was the 100th in his district to pass away in the line of duty. His cousin, James J. McRae III, was the

Funeral homes don’t only do service for the deceased, they cater to the needs of the living as well as those left behind may need the most help in getting over a loss. However, this Yuletide season, Coughlin-Lastrina Funeral Home is helping out the living in a different way. 2014 marks the seventeenth year that the funeral home, owned by Sebastian Lastrina and his family, will be cooking a free Christmas meal for anyone who won’t have sumptuous feast or anyone to celebrate with during Christmas. The annual dinner will have a holiday menu of ham, roast chicken, pasta, salad, cake and cookies. “It’s about giving back to the community that has supported me for 30-plus years,” Lastrina said in an article on Hartford Courant. “This is the most difficult time of the year to be without family or food.” The special holiday

There is nothing more heart breaking than a mother losing her children. A  Huffingpost blog writer, Pamela Brill, writes about the horrific tragedy that befell three Israeli teenages who were shot to death after being kidnapped, and the journey that their mothers continually partake to get through this experience. The mothers showed great courage and compassion as they sought out justice for their missing children, and have demonstrated unfathomable faith to their beliefs when they discovered the horrendous reality about the latter’s death. Click here to know more about their story.

Planning your own funeral may seem a bit harsh not only to yourself but also to your loved ones. While it’s really inevitable, nobody actually enjoys the idea of dying and leaving all the people we care about. However, making funeral plans while you’re alive actually saves your family a whole lot of hassle and indecision in the future: Pre-planning your funeral allows you to compare rates and find the most cost-efficient choice. Consider the professional services, including the funeral director, facilities, casket, etc. Decide between a burial or a cremation and make the necessary arrangements. To know more, click here.

Planning a funeral for a deceased loved one? Make sure that you provide him with the ideal farewell ceremony. Here are some tips: Flowers are among the most important symbolism during a funeral; make sure to have arrangements prepared for the family and loved ones of the deceased. Make sure to inform all the important individuals about the ceremony, including other relatives and friends. Choose between a burial and a cremation. This can be so much easier if the deceased has already selected one before his death. For more ideas, click here.

Jax, a laid-black Labrador, along with fellow dogs Lady, Gracie, and Birch are trained therapy dogs. The dogs are certified to provide comfort to grieving families. Jax usually spends his day sleeping in a comfortable spot inside the funeral home office. His demeanor changes whenever a family walks through the door. The owner of the funeral home said that a gesture as simple as laying their heads on a grieving person’s lap or being there for a crying child to pet can help keep the grieving process better. The funeral dogs stay at the funeral home office or hallway at all times. Click here for more on this story.  

The family of the teen who was found dead on a wrestling mat has filed a lawsuit against the funeral home. According to Kendrick Johnson’s parents, the funeral home was not only negligent., they also committed fraud while handling Kendrick’s body. State medical examiners ruled Kendrick’s death accidental but a second independent autopsy was done and proved that a blunt force trauma to the head was the cause of his death. It was also discovered that the teen’s organs had been replaced with newspapers. Click here to read more on this news.

A funeral parlor or home is a form of business that offers a variety of funeral or burial services. It helps bereaved families dispose their beloved. A funeral parlor helps the surviving friends and family in many aspects. Depending on the wishes of the deceased’s family, the funeral service may be personal and unique. Some of the services provided by funeral parlors are embalming or retrieval of the body, handling of the body, and processing of requisite paperwork. Read more on these services by clicking here.