The more expensive vaults are usually waterproof and claim to protect the remains, although there is no proof of this. The cost of a grave marker or monument depends on its size, material, design, and craftsmanship. Funeral Alternatives American attitudes about funerals are changing. There is a trend toward cutting funeral costs. One way to reduce costs is to choose an alternative to the traditional funeral.
Some alternatives are cremation, direct burial, and donation of one's body to a medical school.
Cremation has been gaining wider acceptance in the United States, and it is typically chosen when a substitute for earth burial is sought. In those cases, a traditional funeral service may be held, with the body then cremated rather than buried in a cemetery. Direct burial and direct cremation are quick, simple, and less costly than traditional funeral and burial. The funeral director removes the body from the place of death and handles the entire disposition of remains. Memorial services are usually held at a later date.