Page 26 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE–Friday, October 4, 2019 avyavy ioienioroavvy Senior avvyy vy ennioorn rniiori Cremation: An Affordable Way to Go Dear Savvy Senior, How much does cremation cost and how can I fi nd a good deal in my area? I would like to get a simple, basic cremation that doesn’t cost me, or my family, a lot of money. Frugal Senior Dear Frugal, Cremation costs can vary widely. Depending on your location, the provider and the services you request, cremation can range anywhere from $500 to $7,500 or more. But that’s a lot cheaper than a full-service funeral and cemetery burial that averages nearly $11,000 today. Here are some tips to help you get a good deal. Shop Around Because prices can vary sharply by provider, the best way to get a good price on a simple “no frills” cremation is to call several funeral homes in your area (most funeral homes provide cremation services) and compare prices. When you call, ask them specifi cally how much they charge for a “direct cremation,” which is the basic option and the least expensive. With direct cremation, there’s no embalming, formal viewing or funeral. It only includes the essentials: picking up the body, completing the required paperwork, the cremation itself and providing ashes to the family. If your family wants to have a memorial service, they can have it at home or your place of worship after the cremation, in the presence of your remains. If you want additional services beyond what a direct cremation off ers, ask the funeral home for an itemized price list that covers the other service costs, so you know exactly what you’re getting. All providers are required by law to provide this. To locate nearby funeral homes, look in your local yellow pages, or Google “cremation” or “funeral” followed by your city and state. You can also get good information online at Parting.com, which lets you compare prices from funeral providers in your area based on what you want. Or, if you need more help contact your nearby funeral consumer alliance program (see Funerals.org/local-fca or call 802865-8300 for contact information). These are volunteer groups located in most regions around the country that off er a wide range of information and prices on local funeral and cremation providers. Pricey Urns The urn is an item you need to be aware of that can drive up cremation costs. Funeral home urns usually cost around $100 to $300, but you aren’t required to get one. Most funeral homes initially place ashes in a plastic bag that is inserted into a thick cardboard box. The box is all you need if you intend to have your ashes scattered. But if you want something to display, you can probably fi nd a nice urn or comparable container online. Walmart.com and Amazon.com for example, sells urns for under $50. Or, you may want to use an old cookie jar or container you have around the house instead of a traditional urn. Free Cremation Another option you may want to consider that provides free cremation is to donate your body to a university medical facility. After using your body for research, they will cremate your remains for free (some programs may charge a small fee to transport your body to their facility), and either bury or scatter your ashes in a local cemetery or return them to your family, usually within a year or two. To fi nd a medical school near you that accepts body donations, the University of Florida maintains a directory at Anatbd. acb.med.ufl .edu/usprograms. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. • Burials • Cremations • Pre-Arrangements • Serving the Greater Boston and North Shore regions for over 250 years! It is our purpose to give thoughtful service, and if in so doing, we have helped to lighten your burden, our goal has been accomplished. We sincerely hope that our service will be deserving of your confidence and wish to offer our continued friendship. 331 Main Street, Everett, MA 02149 Valet Parking Available (617) 387-4180 www.roccofuneralhomes.com Passed away at age 97 on October 3. Angela was born in Orsogna, Italy and became a lifelong resident of Everett in 1958. Angela was the beloved wife of the late Vincenzo and mother of Francesco and his wife Rosalba, and their children, Vincenzo and Angela; Maddalena D’Alleva and her late husband Giovanni and their children, John and Frank; Anna M. Giordano and Joseph Giordano and their children, Matthew Giordano and Vanessa Desrochers. Angela is also survived by 10 great-grandchildren. Funeral from the Salvatore Rocco & Sons Funeral Home, 331 Main Street, Everett on Tuesday, October 8 at 9 am. A Funeral Mass will be held at St. Anthony Church, Everett at 10 am. Relatives and friends are kindly invited. Visiting hours will be Monday from 4 – 8 pm, with complimentary valet parking. Interment will be in the Woodlawn Cemetery, Everett. Angela was a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great-grandmother. She loved being surrounded by family. Angela was a member of the Orsogna Women’s Club and enjoyed attending their monthly meetings, parties and being with her friends. For more information: 1-877-71-ROCCO or roccofuneralhomes.com. OBITUARIES Angela (DelGreco) Paolini
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