If a friend is saddled with the costs for a loved one’s cremation services and can’t afford it, you can help through the provider, through a gift in a card, or with an in person conversation.

While cremation services in Chicago, IL are the least expensive disposition method, that doesn’t mean everyone can afford them. To many people, such an expense, especially when it’s unexpected, can be too much for them to handle. If you know someone who lost a family member and now is saddled with the cost of their cremation and you are concerned that they won’t be able to afford what their loved one needs, here are some things you can do to help:

Contact The Cremation Provider

You might not want your friend to know that you are trying to help with the final service costs. Many people are proud and don’t want to accept charity. They want to take care of things themselves, even when they really do need the help. One way to help with the costs while remaining anonymous is to call the cremation provider they are using. The family doesn’t have to know you are involved and you can make a contribution towards that person’s service costs. The cremation provider will not reveal your name or where the money came from, but will inform the family the amount that has been covered for their member’s services.

Send A Card And Money

If you don’t mind your friend knowing where the contribution came from, you can send it directly to them. Send a sympathy card, as you would have anyway, and include a check. Offer your condolences and tell them you’d like them to use the money on the cremation services they want for their loved one. They will be comfortable putting the money in that area since you have requested as much.

Talk To Your Friend

Depending on your relationship with your friend, you may be able to talk openly about their struggles. You can offer ideas, like going to other family members to help cover the costs, taking out a personal loan to cover things so they can pay it off on a monthly basis at a price they can afford. You can also offer your help in the form of a loan or even a monetary gift, if you are willing and able to do so. Having that open conversation can help them air out their burdens and work out what they need to do to cover the costs for their family member.

Dealing with cremation services in Chicago, IL for someone who has passed on is never easy, but if your friend loses a family member and can’t afford what the deceased needs, it can be even harder. Get more advice on how you can help someone in this situation at Chicagoland Cremation Options by calling us at (773) 631-0018. We guide and plan final cremation services, but we can also help with the logistics surrounding those services and the costs they bring with them. Visit with our provider in person and take a tour of the facility at 9329 Byron St, Schiller Park, IL 60176 and we’ll help in any way we can.