During the United States’ grim economic times, families have had to pinch pennies in many areas of their lives, especially when it comes to remembering a loved one that has passed. Funerals, like many other highlights in a person’s life, can cost families thousands of dollars. In reality, one does not need to spend a lot of money to memorialize and remember a loved one who is no longer with us. There are many options families can choose from to memorialize one who has passed that require little or no money.

Donations
Did your loved one have a favorite charity or cause? Volunteering your time for a loved one’s favorite cause is a way to remember that person in a way that will benefit those in need.

Here are some simple ways one can donate their time and talents:
• Donate your time to a local elementary school as a teacher’s aide or read to children at the local library.
• Write a poem or story in memory of the deceased for a periodical such as a newspaper or literary magazine.
• Become a big brother or sister in your loved one’s memory or donate your time to a senior center or assisted-living retirement home.

Donate money or other items.
• If your loved one liked to read, donate books to a school or public library.
• Donate a memorial bench to a favorite park.
• Give an award or trophy in your loved one’s memory to a sport event or music festival.
• Adopt an animal from a zoo or donate the funds to care for an animal in a shelter in your loved one’s memory until the animal is formally adopted.

Online Memorial Sites
Online memorial services cost little to no money. On these types of sites, one can make a personalized tribute to a loved one that can be visited forever. Pictures can be uploaded to the site as well as videos and family trees. Often times, people that visit the online memorial pages can add their own memories of the person being remembered, light virtual candles, and upload their own pictures with easy-to-use online tools.

Plant a Tree
Plant a tree in memory of a loved one. Tree planting will not only benefit the people that planted it, but will also benefit future generations with an everlasting memory that is graceful and dignified. Most tree planting programs are not overly expensive and a portion of the fees often go toward a worthy cause.

Plant a Garden
Memorial gardens can be easily and inexpensively made in one’s own yard. The garden can be started by planting your loved one’s favorite flowers and plants. A stepping stone or rock with the person’s name could be added to the garden as well. Each year, when the flowers are in bloom, share a flower with family members and friends.

Start a New Tradition
Starting a new tradition is a meaningful way to memorialize a lost one that can be passed down to future generations. Here are a couple ideas:
• Buy a present on the memorialized person’s birthday for a member of your community who is in need.
• Donate the gift the memorialized person would have received for Christmas to a child or youth in an angel tree program during the holidays.

Make a DVD
DVDs are easier than ever to make these days and can include a variety of memories on them. The DVD can have picture slideshows on them that have the person’s favorite songs as the background music. One can also add video clips of the person captured at special family occasions. DVDs can be easily reproduced for other family members and friends and can be watched on your loved one’s birthday, anniversary of their death, or any other time one wishes to see it.

Create Memory Book
In a scrapbook, have family and friends of your loved one write notes on special paper that include their memories, well wishes, or even a note to the person they lost. These notes can be included in the book along with photos of the deceased, their family, and friends. The memory book can also include newspaper articles the person was featured in, their obituary, and any other special announcements.

When remembering and memorializing a loved one lost, one does not need to spend a lot of money to show their love and respect for the person.

~Flora Richards-Gustafson, 2009