Crowdfunding a funeral
One of the largest crowdfunding sites is currently running more than 100 campaigns for those looking to raise money for a funeral. While the need for people to turn to crowdfunding to raise funds for a funeral is indicative of a failing on part of both the industry and the government’s inadequate support, we always like to come up with solutions to an un-ideal situation. Here’s our tips for crowdfunding a memorable funeral.
How does crowdfunding work?
GoFundMe,one of the largest crowdfunding sites around, recently released figures showing that new campaigns to raise money for funerals have increased by around a third in the past year. In 2017, 13 per cent of its campaigns created that year were described as memorials, which includes funerals.
Usually, crowdfunding works through individuals who invest in or donate to projects. Crowdfunding can also be used by companies to get back a profit on new ideas. Overall, crowdfunding fosters a sense of community even when financial hardship is the thing that brings people together.
How to start crowdfunding a funeral
Here’s some solutions for cutting financial corners without scrimping on the meaningful impact of a funeral, and securing your crowdfunding goal. When starting to crowdfund a funeral, you’ll need to:
Be clear on what each element of the funeral will cost
This isn’t going to be easy since, sometimes, funeral costs are similar to interplanetary alien life or the riches of El Dorado: hard to find.
Funeral directors are supportive and friendly people, but it can be a surprise when you come across fees you weren’t expecting, such as those from a crematorium, a church’s flower arrangements or fees for ashes scattering.
Look for the cheaper options
This will take some initiative. Usually, I wonder whether I’m doing right by the person who’s died by spending my free time daubing cardboard with watercolour flower designs in order to create a makeshift coffin. But looking at cheaper options are often a way of creating a more personal and lasting memory of that person.
Taking funeral matters into your own hands, whether by crowdfunding or not, usually means you’re going to need to get creative with a smaller budget – remind yourself that cheap or DIY is still meaningful. Create your money goal with cheaper options in mind.
Consider alternative burial and cremation options
While over the last 100,000 years or so, not only us humans but our distant ancestors Homo sapiens have made a habit of burying each other in the ground, we’re now ready to think about some of the alternatives.
Direct cremation, simple natural burial or a laidback ashes scattering ceremony on a loved one’s favourite bit of (ideally) public land, are all basic yet memorable ways of seeing someone off. Consider these when creating your crowdfunding goal.
Make sure you read our Funeral Planning page, where we’ve got a lot more alternative funeral ideas.
Include those who are donating
One of the best things about crowdfunding is that everyone can get involved without it starting to feel like your local council meeting. Instead, a funeral becomes a collective effort, and all the more significant.
If your uncle wants to make a few of his tried-and-tested chocolate cakes, or your mate wants to bless the congregation with her clarinet solo, it might be that if they’ve put the money in, they can.
Where to start crowdfunding
Crowdfunding funeral costs isn’t so different to crowdfunding your middle-aged gap year, your new set of dentures or any unworkable, but quite obviously fantastic, business ideas. Here are some of the most popular websites that are a great platform to start crowdfunding:
Find out more
At DEATH.io we’ve got a lot more articles relating to paying for a funeral, including our own Money Issues hub.
As well as our Funeral Planning page.
Read our article on bereavement and money worries, and how to prepare for that side of things.
Take a look at our article on life insurance, looking at the benefits and drawbacks of paying into a policy.
We get down the simple information of how to write a will in our article here.
