Funeral Pre-Planning For Millennials

Millennials are, apparently, responsible for the deaths of several large industries, including Applebees,  napkins, “breastaurants,” golf, and homeownership. Yet, surprisingly, Millennials appear to me more “death positive” and accepting of their own mortality than previous generations. More and more apps, startups, and online platforms are allowing Millennials to plan for death in their own way.

Millennials are farther behind in saving for retirement than their parents. Despite this, funeral pre-planning for Millennials has taken off. It is a way for this up and coming generation to control the uncontrollable aspects of life. 

Here are the stats: 

• Only 1 in 3 adults in the US have completed any kind of Advance Directive or end-of-life advance planning.
• Only 21% of adults have discussed their end-of-life wishes with their loved ones. While 62% of adults believe that such discussions are important to have. 
• More and more consumers are shopping around, doing research, and taking funeral planning out of the hands of funeral homes. A generation ago, families went straight to the same funeral home that cared for their parents and their grandparents. Now, 18.9% of consumers who go to a funeral home shop around first. 52.3% compare prices either online or in-person. 
• According to a 2017 study, young people are more prepared to discuss death. They can also think about their own deaths more calmly than older people.

Funeral Pre-Planning For Millennials 

Tech-savvy, entrepreneur Millennials are shaking up many long-standing industries, including the death industry. Among these leaders is Caitlin Doughty, who founded the Order of the Good Death and Ask a Mortician. Other innovations include pay-as-you-go life insurance through Deadhappy. An app called WeCroak reminds users that they are going to die 5 times a day. 

Liz Eddy founded Lantern, a digital end-of-life planning tool, after her grandmother died. Lantern provides users with a checklist for pre-planning. It lets them sort out things like organ donation and notifying the post office all in one place. Other websites like Funeralocity, GatheringUs, and FreeWill are here to help Millennials face death. 

However, many of these apps are designed for planning, accepting, and memorializing. There is a gap in the world of funeral pre-planning for Millennials: the actual pre-purchasing. Here’s the thing: you can plan and do death-themed affirmations all day long, but there’s something missing. It is where you pre-purchase your funeral items so that the financial aspect is taken care of. 

This is where Overnight Caskets comes in. The Pre-Need division allows consumers to pre-purchase a casket online before the time of need.

There are several advantages to pre-purchasing a casket online, regardless of which generation you are in. 

1. Lock in a price before inflation. 
2. Pick out something you want that matches your personality, aesthetic, and gender identity. 
3. It will be all taken care of and out of the way. 
4. Pre-purchasing a casket online is safer than doing so through a funeral home. 
5. Buying a casket online is much more affordable than traditional casket buying. 

Here’s How It Works

Just like any online platform, the Overnight Caskets website is easy to use for funeral pre-planning for Millennials. The same way you would order takeout online, simply scroll through the catalog to find a casket that suits you. 

Overnight Caskets offers both wood and metal caskets. The metal caskets come in 18 gauge and 20 gauge. The term “gauge” describes the thickness of the metal. The labeling system is inverted so 18 gauge is actually thicker than 20 gauge. Metal caskets are usually desirable because they look a little more fancy, flashy, and modern. Some metal caskets also come equipped with a gasket so that they can completely seal out the elements. 

The wood caskets can be solid wood or veneer wood. As it sounds, solid wood is made from a large cut of the same tree, making this option a little more expensive and more high-quality. Veneer wood is a cheaper wood option because the casket is not made from solid wood; instead, this type of casket is made from different slices of wood pressed together to form a casket. Wood caskets are safe for cremation, so if you want your ashes blasted into space, turned into a diamond, or forged into a sword, a wood casket is the way to go. 

One of the great things about buying a casket online is that it is easy and stress-free. If you have had to buy a car recently or if you are one of the lucky Millennials who can afford a house, you know how terrible the buying process can be on certain things. Unlike at the car dealership, there are no sales people, no quick sells, and no need to “let me talk to my manager.” You just pick out what you want, go to check out, and you are done. 

Here’s what happens next: 

1. You will receive paperwork confirming your purchase, the choice of casket, and proof of purchase. 
2. Keep this somewhere safe. Perhaps store it in the same place that you keep your birth certificate and other important documents. Keep a digital version on your computer as well. 
3. Tell your friends and family about your decision. This will prevent your family members from buying you a casket without knowing that you already got yourself one. Seriously, feel free to tweet about it, caption your IG selfie with it, and do an AMA about it. You can even put it in your dating app profile if you want, but Overnight Caskets is not responsible if no one swipes on you. 
4. When the time comes, someone will have to contact Overnight Caskets to notify us that it is the time of need. 
5. The casket will then be shipped to you and your family. Most relatives have the casket sent to the funeral home, unless you are doing a home funeral. 
6.  Time to embrace eternity. Now, on the off-chance that you come back as a zombie, you have an affordable, fashionable casket to rip your way out of in your search for brains to eat. 

Why Funeral Pre-Planning For Millennials Really Is Your Best Option

It is pretty ironic that Millennials are so prepared for death when many aren’t even prepared for retirement. Compared to previous generations, Millennials have less retirement savings and are more likely to pull money from their retirement in order to cope with recessions, job loss, and to make large purchases – like buying a home. Of course, it isn’t that Millennials are doing anything wrong financially. They are the generation that came of age during a recession and the age group that has the least amount of financial stability when it comes to surviving later economic crises, such as a pandemic. 

The difference between retirement and death is that many Millennials aren’t sure if they will even get to retire. As wages stagnate and inflation surges, more and more people are forced to continue working into their later years. Yet, even if Millennials still find themselves running a corporation’s social media accounts at age 75, at the very least, they can control their own death and “curate their afterlife.”

Funeral pre-planning for Millennials is the best option for people who want control over their own death and who want to save money. The primary reason Millennials should pre-purchase a casket is because it allows you to lock in a price before inflation. 

Why Pre-Purchasing a Casket Now is More Affordable

Let’s take the Full Brush Copper Casket with ivory velvet interior for example. In 2021, it costs $1,350. The range for Millennials is anyone born between 1981 and 1995. In 1981 money, the same casket would have cost $451.66. In 1995 money, it would be $757.24. That is an inflation rate of over 50% in 40 years. 

Most Millennials are old enough to remember riding bikes to the corner store to buy candy for a buck. That same candy costs several dollars now. Think of what will happen to prices in the future at this rate. A casket that costs $1,350 now, could cost as much as $3,000 or more in another 15 years. When you are buying something like a casket – an item that you know you will need eventually – it pays to buy early. It will both help you take control of the end of your life, and save you money in the long term. 

An Affordable, High-Quality Way To Purchase a Casket

Whether you have been bamboozled by Wish.com in the past or if you boycott brands like Shein and Nike for their business practices, pre-purchasing a casket is both safe and ethical. There are a lot of scam clothing websites out there. A lot of legitimate-looking clothing brands use sweatshop labor to produce their cheap clothing, all while paying workers a few cents a day for working in terrible conditions. Most Millennials are acutely aware of their economic impact and can be relied upon to choose ethical brands. 

This is where Overnight Caskets comes in. All our caskets are made in the US from high-quality materials. All our manufacturers maintain healthy working conditions and competitive wages. The reason that our caskets are more affordable is not because of bad business practices, cutting corners, or paying poverty wages. Our caskets are more affordable than caskets at funeral homes for 3 reasons: 

1. We buy directly from the manufacturers, which cuts out the middleman. Because we pay less, we can charge less. 
2. Funeral homes have a lot of overhead to cover. We don’t, therefore we don’t need to mark up casket prices to keep the lights on. 
3. Overnight Caskets is in the business of selling caskets, not producing an obscene profit so that the CEO can buy yacht number 3. Our prices are affordable because this isn’t about making enough money to go to space, it’s about running a business that provides a valuable service. 

Why Should Millennials Pre-Purchase a Casket Online?

Planning ahead is good for everyone, but funeral pre-planning for Millennials is highly recommended. It isn’t just for financial reasons either; Millennials are the most tech savvy, the most comfortable with death, and the most prepared to make this decision. 

Compared to previous generations, pre-purchasing a casket is right up your alley. For example, older generations often have trouble talking about things. Like, how in the 50s, the whole country just fought a war and everyone decided to just not talk about it, while pretending that racism wasn’t a problem. Millennials, on the other hand, are fearless when it comes to talking about death. Whether in online meme format, or finding ways to customize their end-of-life experience. 

Because Millennials are also more tech savvy and comfortable with the internet, you know how to take advantage of digital tools. You are also able to spot scams, navigate e-commerce websites, and know which trends are right for you. Additionally, Millennials have more access to information than previous generations. This means that you know how to compare prices, fact check information, and know how to get a good deal. 

Are You Ready To Start Funeral Pre-Planning?

Whether you want to save money, or if this is your next step on the Lantern checklist, browse the Overnight Caskets catalog to get started pre-planning. If you have any questions about shipping, payment, or the process, contact Overnight Caskets. We are available by phone, as well as by email and chatbot – if you don’t like talking on the phone.