Most Filipinos were not raised to prepare for tragic incidents or even emergencies. Yes, it might be a case of lack of financial literacy. Or perhaps it’s just not something that is often talked about or taught in the local culture.

You’ll be surprised how so many Filipinos shy away from memorial plans and insurance policies even when they can afford to shell out some money for such provisions for the future. But it’s also astonishing how even poor families are able to gather funds when it comes to throwing birthday parties for children or buying a TV set and other gadgets and appliances.

But here’s the harsh truth: Every one of us will die eventually. Yes, you won’t be around to see the consequences of your own demise. But what will become of your loved ones who are left to worry about the wake and funeral expenses, and the living expenses thereafter?

The question is--- Can you afford to die?

Let’s find out by going through the various expenses that people must be prepared for when somebody dies.

Coffin and Mortuary Care

When a person dies, he or she goes through the embalming process and has to be prepared for the wake. A coffin is also chosen at this point.

Coffin and mortuary care which are part of funeral services can be quite costly for the average Filipino. These days, a small funeral parlor may charge around P8,000 while a more upscale one would probably charge from P30,000 up to P500,000 depending on inclusions and packages that the family chooses. In addition, a metal casket may cost up to P1,000,000!

Knowing these rates should be enough to entice a person to invest in a memorial plan or insurance that would cover such expenses. Nevertheless, many don’t even have a total amount of P10,000 in their savings account. They live from day to day only.

Wake Venue or Chapel Viewing Rental

If you choose to rent a place for the wake or for chapel viewing, this could cost around P2,000 to P5,000 per day. Some have packages that already include food and refreshments as well as a room for resting or sleeping.

Oftentimes, ordinary Filipinos just hold the wake at home to avoid additional expenses. Visitors can come for viewing. A hat or box is passed around and it is the custom for people to give contributions for the family of the one who passed away.

At times, families extend the wake for up to one week just to be able to collect more money. There are also cases when gambling games are held during the wake in order to raise more funds.

Food and Refreshments

Because a funeral is always a family affair, it goes without saying that food and refreshments are to be served. A lot of relatives and friends visit, and it’s customary for Filipinos to offer something to eat or drink. This can be quite expensive depending on the number of days and on what are served. For those who can afford it, they even hire caterers to prepare meals and drinks.

For food and refreshments, expect to shell out an amount ranging from P5,000 to P50,000. Another factor to consider here is the number of people who will be coming. If the person who died was popular or was involved in a lot of groups and workplaces, then there may be more visitors coming.

Flower Arrangements

Flowers have become part of funerals. They may or may not be part of your wake venue rental or memorial services. Hence, be ready to spend a few hundreds too for the simplest bouquets that you can display around the coffin or in the area.

However, depending on the family’s taste, there are grand flower arrangements that can cost around P5,000 to P10,000 each.

Burial or Cremation Services

Burial services are often incorporated in a package when you purchase a memorial lot. Getting one in a private cemetery can cost around P500,000 to P1,000,000 these days. Of course you can opt for an installment plan, but this will surely burden you for a long time if you did not invest in it earlier.

The cheaper option here is to go for apartment niches rental in a public cemetery. In such case, you may have to pay P300 to P1,000 per year.

How about if the family opts for cremation?

Regular cremation may cost up to P50,000 at present. If you want the ashes to be grinded to very fine powder, this could reach up to P150,000. Other expenses separate from the actual service include the urn and the columbarium. A marble earn may cost up to P12,000 while a metal urn may reach up to P80,000.

Meanwhile, you have the option to place the urn permanently in a columbarium for safekeeping and for a more solemn resting place instead of keeping it at home. The columbarium space may cost around P20,000 to P80,000.

Raising Funeral Funds

Indeed the expenses described above are huge and certainly heavy even for a middle-class Filipino family. If you total everything, you’ll be shocked that it costs so much for someone to die. But of course, you want to give your loved one a good memorial that he or she deserves. You wish for the person to rest in peace, so this means that you will have to find a way to raise the funeral funds if you did not invest in a plan earlier.

Some families have already used LetUsFund.com for such purposes. Why don’t you try starting a free fundraising campaign on the platform so you can give your loved one a good funeral? You can also raise funds to help the family with living expenses after a breadwinner passes away.

Go to the website now to open a campaign. It’s easy to do and doesn’t cost anything at all. You’ll discover just how many people are willing to help.