Tip #1: Ask for the General Price List. All NJ funeral homes have a General Price List and are required to provide it to families, especially in-person. This allows you to compare pricing item by item.
Tip #2: Don't share price quotes you received from other funeral homes. Sharing competitors' price quotes only encourages the newest funeral home on your list to discount just enough to get your business. This does not guarantee you are getting the best deal, the best value or the best service for your money.
Tip #3: When asking for a price quote, give each funeral home the same scenario. If you give different scenarios, figuring out the better deal may be more difficult.
Tip #4: When you compare quotes, make sure you are comparing similar things. Some funeral homes give quotes that only contain their services. Other funeral homes give comprehensive quotes, including the funeral home prices, cemetery and other vendors requiring payment based on the scenario given. Receiving a funeral home quote for $6,000 may sound great at first, until you realize you also need to come out of pocket a few more thousand dollars to pay the cemetery, vault company, and others vendors.
We all love getting a great deal or knowing we're getting the best value for our money. So, if you price shop for funerals, but make sure you're doing it in a way that will yield you the best results. Happy price shopping!