Surprisingly, Decisions like this are made in a clearer head than what you would like to imagine. After a year of burying my mother and 2 brothers and paying for 2 of them out of my pocket. I was surprised that I would clearly make the choices and still be able to negotiate services and costs. My grieving did not happen till a month or two later.... Going through the private papers, pictures, clothes.....That is what is hard..... A casket takes 5 minutes.
I actually found my local funeral home to be considerate, patient and not pushing for the most money they could get out of me, rather the opposite. They were looking at my budget and what we could do within it with many choices in service, days, casket and procession. I was able to bury my 2 brothers below my budget and cremate my mother within my budget.
The only cost that was not negotiable was the pickup and cold storage and Service cost for embalming, and 1 day's viewing.
I think you would be surprised. Get to know your local funeral home and costs associated with it.... As an FE agent is should be a priority.
