WASHINGTON – Funerals are expensive, but people still pay.
Those trying to mourn the loss of a loved one will cough up the $7,000 to $10,000 per ceremony, probably due to guilty feelings, says entrepreneur Craig Witzke, who now offers “budget funerals” through his family’s company, Russell Craig Witzke Funerals and Cremations.
Witzke’s family has been in the funeral business since 1912 out of Catonsville, Md., so he knows the price ranges. Most of the costs go to the viewing and the services, andt hat portion can cost up to $3,000.
But Witzke’s costs are around $500. He’s able to keep prices low by urging clients to have the viewing in their home, their church or at a retirement center.
His operation is also not a part of a larger conglomerate. Funeral homes across the country have been merging, driving the costs up. By operating independently, Witzke doesn’t have to pay expenses, such as market and advertising costs, back to a home office.
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