WOW, funeral costs now a days - Page 2

JustJazzmom · ‎03-09-2010

Here where I live we buried my father to the tune of $15,000 and that included the wake over 2 days, the opening of the grave (an above ground one next to my Mother). Not to mention there were the flowers (extra $$, thank you cards, guest book, church services --more $$) and the restaurant after the funeral and burial.

That $15,000 only covered the funeral home's expenses not the parentheseed items.

It definitely is a business.

☼The best place to seek God is in a garden. You can dig for him there. GBShaw☼

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@raven-blackbird wrote:
When I go...........I don't want a service....don't tell me when I am dead you miss me, tell me all you need to while I can still hear it, so skip the service......I want to be cremated and my ashes go back to nurish the earth that nurished me......I've told hubs and the kids to take my ashes to the mountains and find a meadow with flowers.........scatter me there..........when you want to visit in the spring........you'll see me in the meadow flowers..........the BEST marker you can get IMO.....................................raven

In our church the funeral mass is about people getting together to ask a blessing on you and to ask God for his grace for you.

jubilant · ‎06-10-2010

What a beautiful sentiment, Raven. I don't want a service either. I don't like seeing people dead. I want to remember them as they were in happier times. I dislike this tradition very much. I have a favorite woods that I want my ashes spread in if possible. If not any meadow or woods will do!

Zhills · ‎11-15-2011

@151949 wrote:
@baker wrote:
Boy, where did you get a complete funeral for 4500, my MIL died 2yrs. ago and the cheapest we could bury her for was 8000. My MIL would be spinning in her grave if she knew it cost 8Large to bury her.

!. We already owned the plots
2, no showing at a funeral home
3. no having to buy a coffin
4. instead of a headstone in his family's plot they just have a bronze marker for each person and then at the head of the area is a stone about 8ft wide by 6 ft high with the family name on it.Anyway those bronze markers are much less expensive.
5. When you preplan a funeral and pay for it up front they give significant discounts plus you lock in the price at todays prices.

That does not include airfare home for the body?

MaggieMack · ‎10-01-2014

I have also stipulated no service in my papers. No husband or kids to grieve over me. I also set aside a large sum to go to the friends that take any pets I have (several have assured me they will). Then, instead of funeral costs, I'm leaving a sum for a party at the club. I will be cremated. Not sure yet about the ashes.

I've been reading online about trees you buy that come with a planter beneath the roots where you can plant the ashes and the tree grows over them. This idea appeals to me.

No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted. - Aesop

raven-blackbird · ‎06-03-2010

@151949 wrote:
@raven-blackbird wrote:
When I go...........I don't want a service....don't tell me when I am dead you miss me, tell me all you need to while I can still hear it, so skip the service......I want to be cremated and my ashes go back to nurish the earth that nurished me......I've told hubs and the kids to take my ashes to the mountains and find a meadow with flowers.........scatter me there..........when you want to visit in the spring........you'll see me in the meadow flowers..........the BEST marker you can get IMO.....................................raven

In our church the funeral mass is about people getting together to ask a blessing on you and to ask God for his grace for you.

my family is Catholic, it's the same for them..........just not for me.......what happens or dosen't happen to me after I die, is stictly between my maker and me.........no matter how many pray for you........it still comes down to you.........you're the one who must be truly sorry and repentive, not them for you..................................................raven

We're not in Kansas anymore ToTo

sktchy · ‎03-10-2010

@MaggieMack wrote:
I have also stipulated no service in my papers. No husband or kids to grieve over me. I also set aside a large sum to go to the friends that take any pets I have (several have assured me they will). Then, instead of funeral costs, I'm leaving a sum for a party at the club. I will be cremated. Not sure yet about the ashes.

I've been reading online about trees you buy that come with a planter beneath the roots where you can plant the ashes and the tree grows over them. This idea appeals to me.

I think there is a cemetary like that in England.

sktchy · ‎03-10-2010

I wish my parents would decide what they want to do. My Father will talk about it but not my Mother. He was more of the 'Parent' in the household and now that they are getting up in age - Mom is 79 and Dad is 84 SOMEBODY BETTER GET IT TOGETHER.

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

@Zhills wrote:
@151949 wrote:
@baker wrote:
Boy, where did you get a complete funeral for 4500, my MIL died 2yrs. ago and the cheapest we could bury her for was 8000. My MIL would be spinning in her grave if she knew it cost 8Large to bury her.

!. We already owned the plots
2, no showing at a funeral home
3. no having to buy a coffin
4. instead of a headstone in his family's plot they just have a bronze marker for each person and then at the head of the area is a stone about 8ft wide by 6 ft high with the family name on it.Anyway those bronze markers are much less expensive.
5. When you preplan a funeral and pay for it up front they give significant discounts plus you lock in the price at todays prices.

That does not include airfare home for the body?

The body will already be creamated so the ashes can be hand carried on to a airplane to be brought home.

lulu2 · ‎03-09-2010

@Zhills wrote:

That does not include airfare home for the body?

I dealt with this last summer after my father died when we all were on vacation in Ireland. My father never expressed a desire to be cremated but the funeral director in Ireland suggested it as the cost to ship a body to the US is prohibited with a lot of red tape involved. I carried the ashes in my carry on. I needed a certificate from the funeral home in Ireland.

My father was a highly educated man but died without a will. Everything went to my stepmother who suffers from dementia. Her son, a lawyer gained her power of attorney and did not contribute a single cent toward the funeral and burial. (but that's another story) I know I could sue her but my husband doesn't think it's worth dredging up everything.

My father had a plot next to my mother so that was already paid for.

Funerals are extremely expensive.