Hi, my name is Crystal, and I love tradition and ritual, but I also love novel things and creating something special just for one person. When my mum died a few years ago, I decided that I wanted to write her funeral service – not just my eulogy, but the whole service. I wanted to tie in traditional elements as well as Bible verses and poems that she loved, but I also wanted something that was just for her and her alone. I learned a lot through that experience. If you have lost a loved one, I extend you my sympathy. I know how that feels, and I want to help with the funeral service. This blog has ideas and tips for writing your own service as well as a range of other things. I hope it helps.
Writing Your Own Funeral Service for a Loved One
Funerals and Financial Difficulties: Crowdfunding a Final Farewell
Minea Pesola
There's a school of thought out there which suggests that the last cheque you ever write should bounce. Sure, family and friends should be left something, if there's something left, but you should be the one to enjoy the money you've worked hard for. Not everyone has the ability to be so precise with their expenditure, and sometimes a person's financial resources are exhausted well within their lifetime. This doesn't leave anything left for their final financial outlay, which is the cost of their funeral. If a loved one has died without leaving much of an estate, and without life or funeral insurance, how do you go about giving them a proper funeral when you can't really afford it? Given the importance and finality of the occasion, it's possible that friends and family will be willing to contribute to the funeral costs. How can you crowdfund a final farewell?
One by One Won't Work
Simply contacting potential contributors one by one, explaining the situation and asking for a small donation probably won't be sufficient. It's both time- and labour-intensive and can make it difficult to reach absolutely everyone who might be able to chip in.
An Online Platform
Choose an online crowdfunding platform which has the facilities to collect funds in a centralised way, whether via credit or debit card, bank transfer or Paypal. These services are not free, but there are no upfront costs. Instead, the platform will take a small percentage of any revenue. They're commercial enterprises, not charities, and this is how they generate profit. Be sure to read their terms and conditions before creating the funding page on their platform.
The Details
You generally need to stipulate a financial goal (i.e., how much you wish to raise) and a deadline. Given that you wish to move ahead with the funeral in a timely fashion, this deadline is likely to be relatively soon. You should also include extra information, such as details about the deceased (include a photo of them if you wish), some brief information about their life and a short explanation about how you need to raise funds to give them a proper farewell that would otherwise be unaffordable.
Reaching Out
Once the funding page has been created, it's not a matter of sitting back and waiting. This is when you should contact family and friends to inform them about the funding page. Send a group email, share it on social media and consider other avenues too. Was your loved one a member of any clubs or community groups? Make them aware of the funding page also, since every cent can help you reach your goal.
It's sad to think that financial limitations can prevent your loved one from receiving the farewell they deserve, but online crowdfunding can allow everyone to work together to find a solution.
For more information about funeral costs, contact a funeral home near you.
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