shucks! just hook me up to the tractor and drag me off to a deep draw somewhere and toss me in…won ‘t matter to me, and the buzzards’ll not go hungry for a day or so.
When my grandfather passed away last year, my dad and his siblings were amazed at the cost of the funeral, and everything else. After Dad came home from a long day of figuring stuff out, he told us “Just put me in a body bag, and toss me in a hole in the ground!”
My husband and I designed our tombstone a couple of years before it was needed and had it in place in the family plot so we could see it. That was our largest expense. When he died, the cremation, vault, and grave opening came to about $1500. I refused all the extras the funeral home offered as our church printed programs and I bought the “memory book” at Hallmark for $15 instead of $60 the funeral home wanted. Plan ahead-you know it’s coming!
Mythreesons I had an great uncle decades ago long before I met my husband did exactly that. Dr. told him he had cancer inoperable and had 3 years. He and his wife have three adult kids 2 here the 3 in TX. They took turns taking care of him. Longest 3 years they seen. Anyway he did exactly that planned both him and his wife service and paid for all. Then just waited for time. His widow died of a horrible fire death. She smoked and someone the trashcan caught fire then the house.
When our mom planned dad’s and he knew his time was coming to be with the Lord. I thought mom was going to have a stroke and thought they where broke until I found out how much money they had. She went very cheap on a coffin $500 and it looked it. My brother-in-law found out family can transport here at least a casket in back of truck to save money. This is in KS. Found out one local funeral home the land is seperate from them.
My parents prepaid as much of their funeral expenses as possible. Still had some expenses on top (date on marker, honorariums, obituary, etc.), but at least there was money left to cover those costs. Having buried both my parents, I’ve told my family - cremate my body ASAP, no embalming, casket or viewing expenses that way. Dig a hole, put my ashes in, plant a tree or bush as a marker. If the hole is on your private property, this is perfectly legal in KS, also in many other states. Whether my survivors hold a funeral/memorial service is up to them.
At least my parents picked a wonderful mortuary - they explain the features & costs, then leave the family alone to make the decisions. Absolutely no pressure to have a more elaborate burial or funeral than what the family requests. I’ve recommended them to friends, who have recommended them to other friends.
Kab - Broadway Mortuary, in case you’re wondering…
We get our funeral for, I believe, just $2,000 or 2500. Again, no frills, no extras–basically just the casket and rough box, a small headstone, and minimal services. You can do it if you want–and don’t let the funeral director guilt you into “doing it to honor his/her memory.” There are better (cheaper and more effective and more lasting) ways to remember someone.
State laws often permit funerals/burials far cheaper than almost any funeral home will be willing to offer you. Buying cremation directly and then burying or scattering the ashes on your own, or on land of a church or other group (perhaps marked with a communal memorial stone), is way more inexpensive ($1000-2000) than dealing with funeral homes.
No-frills funerals earn so much less profit than a full $5000-10000 contract that funeral homes waste their time trying to stay in business with anyone who is being merely appropriate. Free enterprise in the industry depends on survivors’ guilt or pride, or their deceived judgment as to what their real duty and propriety are.
For an example of a religious congregation that advises its members on its affordable, totally simple arrangements, check out how cheap it can be - even in NYC - on the web at NYQM dot org > “Cemetery” way down the right column. To see some hard data, scroll halfway down.
carmy over 14 years ago
Cremation is less expensive, or so I’ve heard. With cremation, all you’re doing is speeding up the process.
COWBOY7 over 14 years ago
Pretty much, Rose!
comYics over 14 years ago
Cremation with a zip-lock baggy instead of an urn.
woodwork over 14 years ago
shucks! just hook me up to the tractor and drag me off to a deep draw somewhere and toss me in…won ‘t matter to me, and the buzzards’ll not go hungry for a day or so.
lewisbower over 14 years ago
My licence says Entire body donor”. Does that mean my family doesn’t have to pay funeral expenses? Can Winky get my spleen? ?
RachaelRocks over 14 years ago
When my grandfather passed away last year, my dad and his siblings were amazed at the cost of the funeral, and everything else. After Dad came home from a long day of figuring stuff out, he told us “Just put me in a body bag, and toss me in a hole in the ground!”
lightenup Premium Member over 14 years ago
The sad part is when they try to guilt you into buying a deluxe package.
Mythreesons over 14 years ago
My husband and I designed our tombstone a couple of years before it was needed and had it in place in the family plot so we could see it. That was our largest expense. When he died, the cremation, vault, and grave opening came to about $1500. I refused all the extras the funeral home offered as our church printed programs and I bought the “memory book” at Hallmark for $15 instead of $60 the funeral home wanted. Plan ahead-you know it’s coming!
kab2rb over 14 years ago
Mythreesons I had an great uncle decades ago long before I met my husband did exactly that. Dr. told him he had cancer inoperable and had 3 years. He and his wife have three adult kids 2 here the 3 in TX. They took turns taking care of him. Longest 3 years they seen. Anyway he did exactly that planned both him and his wife service and paid for all. Then just waited for time. His widow died of a horrible fire death. She smoked and someone the trashcan caught fire then the house.
When our mom planned dad’s and he knew his time was coming to be with the Lord. I thought mom was going to have a stroke and thought they where broke until I found out how much money they had. She went very cheap on a coffin $500 and it looked it. My brother-in-law found out family can transport here at least a casket in back of truck to save money. This is in KS. Found out one local funeral home the land is seperate from them.
Smiley Rmom over 14 years ago
My parents prepaid as much of their funeral expenses as possible. Still had some expenses on top (date on marker, honorariums, obituary, etc.), but at least there was money left to cover those costs. Having buried both my parents, I’ve told my family - cremate my body ASAP, no embalming, casket or viewing expenses that way. Dig a hole, put my ashes in, plant a tree or bush as a marker. If the hole is on your private property, this is perfectly legal in KS, also in many other states. Whether my survivors hold a funeral/memorial service is up to them. At least my parents picked a wonderful mortuary - they explain the features & costs, then leave the family alone to make the decisions. Absolutely no pressure to have a more elaborate burial or funeral than what the family requests. I’ve recommended them to friends, who have recommended them to other friends. Kab - Broadway Mortuary, in case you’re wondering…
bmonk over 14 years ago
We get our funeral for, I believe, just $2,000 or 2500. Again, no frills, no extras–basically just the casket and rough box, a small headstone, and minimal services. You can do it if you want–and don’t let the funeral director guilt you into “doing it to honor his/her memory.” There are better (cheaper and more effective and more lasting) ways to remember someone.
vldazzle over 14 years ago
I want to be remembered by a big happy wake, and cremated. But my daughter and I both have a lot of art glass and I want my ashes in something pretty.
jhouck99 over 14 years ago
Resomation – more environmentally friendly…
avonsalis over 14 years ago
State laws often permit funerals/burials far cheaper than almost any funeral home will be willing to offer you. Buying cremation directly and then burying or scattering the ashes on your own, or on land of a church or other group (perhaps marked with a communal memorial stone), is way more inexpensive ($1000-2000) than dealing with funeral homes.
No-frills funerals earn so much less profit than a full $5000-10000 contract that funeral homes waste their time trying to stay in business with anyone who is being merely appropriate. Free enterprise in the industry depends on survivors’ guilt or pride, or their deceived judgment as to what their real duty and propriety are.
For an example of a religious congregation that advises its members on its affordable, totally simple arrangements, check out how cheap it can be - even in NYC - on the web at NYQM dot org > “Cemetery” way down the right column. To see some hard data, scroll halfway down.