WOW, funeral costs now a days - Page 6

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

We still have a long way to go as we have to still see a lawyer and make out wills, POAs and living wills too. I feel confident all that should go in one visit though. They have a lot of "elder issues" attorneys in Florida.

jubilant · ‎06-10-2010

Not too long ago I wasn't much for cremation. I leaned toward a quick burial in a pine box, no viewing, and no service. I have told my children to do what is most comfortable for them. What has changed my mind is finding out just how much this stuff costs. I think it is a disgrace how much money is made off of someone's death. Even newspaper funeral announcements are expensive. That is something I will do for my parents, however, as a last tribute. I would rather pay more for that than their funeral, Besides, when the soul leaves the body you are looking at "the shell" of a person. They aren't there. They are in a far better place and while I will miss them, there is something in me that knows I will celebrate the fact that they are fresh and new again and in a far better place than I am!!!

151949 · ‎03-09-2010

I think the time when the average income person could afford to have all that ceremony has gone by. Honestly, I think it is just another all for profit business these days that takes advantage of peoples emotions. I have never known a funeral director who was not doing pretty well.

MaggieMack · ‎10-01-2014

@151949 wrote:
I think the time when the average income person could afford to have all that ceremony has gone by. Honestly, I think it is just another all for profit business these days that takes advantage of peoples emotions. I have never known a funeral director who was not doing pretty well.

I agree that it has become too expensive. I have often wondered what people who live paycheck to paycheck do when they are faced with an unexpected death. Do they pay in installments? Are their loved ones buried in pauper's graves? It just seems tragic to me for them to have to go into serious debt for a ceremony and burial.

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

JustJazzmom · ‎03-09-2010

@MaggieMack wrote:
@151949 wrote:
I think the time when the average income person could afford to have all that ceremony has gone by. Honestly, I think it is just another all for profit business these days that takes advantage of peoples emotions. I have never known a funeral director who was not doing pretty well.
I agree that it has become too expensive. I have often wondered what people who live paycheck to paycheck do when they are faced with an unexpected death. Do they pay in installments? Are their loved ones buried in pauper's graves? It just seems tragic to me for them to have to go into serious debt for a ceremony and burial.

Funeral homes will set up installment plans.

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

sgraham30 · ‎03-14-2010

@JustJazzmom wrote:
@MaggieMack wrote:
@151949 wrote:
I think the time when the average income person could afford to have all that ceremony has gone by. Honestly, I think it is just another all for profit business these days that takes advantage of peoples emotions. I have never known a funeral director who was not doing pretty well.
I agree that it has become too expensive. I have often wondered what people who live paycheck to paycheck do when they are faced with an unexpected death. Do they pay in installments? Are their loved ones buried in pauper's graves? It just seems tragic to me for them to have to go into serious debt for a ceremony and burial.
Funeral homes will set up installment plans.

The funeral home that we used wouldn't let me walk out after my mom's viewing until I'd paid in full, no installment plan was offered. I received the receipt in the mail & was angry to see that a payment plan WAS available, the funeral director didn't see fit to mention it to me. The very first thing I did after I had access to the estate account (I was the executor) was reimburse myself. I wasn't working at the time so paying for the cremation was a hardship for me & my 2 siblings didn't offer to pitch in a penny for help pay for it.

Lipstickdiva · ‎03-10-2010

Because of my job, funeral bills comes across my desk on an almost daily basis. Some of them range from very reasonable to what I consider ridiculously outrageous. The casket alone on some of them are in the $10,000.00+ range.

I have one right in front of me now and it was right around $8,000 for the funeral director and staff, visitation, casket, grave box. acknowledgment cards, death notice in newspaper, death certificates, security vehicle and the hall rental for the luncheon.

The cemetery bill was another $2,000.00 and the headstone was another $1,500.00 plus close to another thousand for the catered luncheon.

The biggest funeral bill I've personally seen was close to $30,000.00. I personally think that is nuts.

YorkieonmyPillow · ‎01-13-2013

@MaggieMack wrote:

@henderson wrote:
Please consider whole body donation if you want to be cremated. I registered with Science Care (Phoenix, Az.) to donate my body after my organs are donated. There is no cost, they will arrange to transport the body from your local funeral home and then after cremation, return the remains to you. Whole body donations are so needed to help find cures for diseases.
Please, before you commit to "donating your body to science," read the book Stiff by Mary Roach. She details all of the various ways the donated bodies are used, and most of them are not only not pretty, but pretty awful. I used to have the same altruistic dream of having my body used for higher purposes, but this book changed my mind. In one quick minute.

Ditto.

I wouldn't consider it. A person's mortal remains are sacred to me. I don't view dead bodies like an automobile salvage yard, where parts are picked over and used for this or that.

Even a cat or a dog deserves a decent burial - whether that be cremation, burial, or whatever.

I would never allow any relative of mine's body to be exploited in such a manner. I wouldn't even allow a deceased pet to be used for this, much less a member of my family.

For those who see nothing wrong with it, more power to you. Not me or mine.

There are ways to cut down on final expenses - graveside viewing, etc.

Financialgrl · ‎03-13-2010

My mother died 40 years ago and we did the service and all that goes with it. Dad bought a double grave for him in the future. He died in 2012. His instructions - wanted cremated and his cremains buried in the plot next to my mother and absolutely NO viewing and NO service either at a chapel, funeral home or graveside. We honored his wishes and after cremation my BF and I had the cremains buried. On a beautiful spring day we all (my siblings, their spouses and children) met at the grave, placing flowers on the site and all had dinner at a local restaurant afterwards as a celebration of his/their life.

The above no frills costs were close to $6000 - for cremation, opening/closing of the grave and adding a nameplate so I'm guessing the cheapest one may be able to do things would be cremation only which was just shy of $3000. In 1976 when mom died, dad paid $350 for a double family plot and the cemetery folks said that to buy the same plot today just the double plot now goes for just under $4000!

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

proudlyfromNJ wrote:
Both of my parents donated their bodies to a teaching hospital. We received their ashes 2 years after each passed away. My husband and I are donating our bodies also. Everything is arranged.

That's such a smart way to go! I would never ok having somebody spend a ton of money for something that is just, to me anyway, silly.

I'm dead - use what can be used and they can throw the rest in the trash for all I care. I have requested no funeral and no burial. I know they can't just throw it away so burn it up and put it in a box. My husband can put it in the top of his closet with his grandparents or, for all it really matters, throw it away.

But the most important part is that if there is something that can help somebody else - use it! Don't pay for an uber-expensive box and bury it in the ground. I guess that sort of thing just doesn't make sense to people anymore. It never made much sense to me. Once you're dead, you're gone. end of story.