High Costs of Funerals

[sylvie]

DH's father, a total sweetheart, passed away suddenly and the funeral was on Saturday.

DH's parents were retired on fixed Social Security income. The no frills funeral cost $4800. No calling hours, no hearst, no flowers, no obituary, no printed mementos, no embalming, a low end casket.
I haven't seen the itemized bill, but from the numbers I've heard for transport, paperwork, casket, etc., I don't see how it added up to this amount.

They purchased the plots 15 years ago.
VA dug the grave, military 21 gun salute and bagpipes were free.

I am stunned at the amount and completely freaking because I know DH only has a few years left. He was admitted into the hospital yesterday morning. They wanted him in there sooner but this with his dad took priority.

Has anyone had experience bringing down costs for a burial? DH is a Christian and insists on a burial so cremation is not an option. I know WalMart sells caskets but FIL's was close in price.

The funeral industry infuriated me when my mother passed 20 years ago. It's hard to be SS with some of this!

 

[me&thegals]

I'm so sorry to hear about your FIL! And so sorry that your husband's health is so bad. I had no idea funerals were so crazy expensive. My husband's young cousin just died, and we were commenting how they really could scalp a person. I mean, what are your options, really?

 

[Wifezilla]

Aren't there pre-paid funeral plans? Not sure how much would be saved, but you wouldn't be getting any surprise bills that way.

 

[sylvie]

Aren't there pre-paid funeral plans? Not sure how much would be saved, but you wouldn't be getting any surprise bills that way.

Thanks Wifezilla-I'll look into that.

 

[farmerlor]

There's green burial, you'd have to look into it in your area because it's not allowed everywhere. I always wonder how much all this formaldehyde that they pump into corpses and eventually leaks into the water system affects us. Maybe that's why the world has gone crazy.....anyway, I digress. There's cremation if your faith or beliefs allow it.
So sorry for you loss.

 

[PamsPride]

When my mom had to move money around for Medicaid/Medicare (??) stuff for my dad funeral planning was one of the allowed expenses and it was going to be like $8K!! I don't think there was much she could of cut out either.

 

[justusnak]

I agree, the costs are crazy high! We lost my mother a year ago, she had nothing planned out. It was over 10K. Nothing fancy...but it was "proper"
I am thinking to look into the prepaid as well. I dont want to leave any bills behind for my spouse, or children.
Sylvie, I am so sorry to hear about your FIL, and hubby.

 

[FarmerChick]

So sorry for your loss. It is never easy when it comes to an end!!
Hope you are doing fine.




if you want to plan now you can

contact funeral home----find out their pre-pay plans.

Me, who knows where I will be living when I die. I am not worried about "settling" in the hole for a long life in NC right now.

I hope when older I have some cash. I have life insurance. That should pay to bury me if I go now. Same with Tony.

If you have no insurances, and something happens, pick the lowest plan and pay payments. what else can one do?


yes costs are thru the roof on everything.
but that is just what it is and we all must think about life and its ending.

 

[Wifezilla]

Found this...

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/products/pro19.shtm

 

[2dream]

Funerals are expensive no matter what or how you do it. Even cremation is close to 2,000. with no frills.

Word of caution on the prepay..... you are better off purchasing a 10,000 life insurance policy for funeral expense. If the funeral home goes out of business or files for bankruptcy then you are just out the money you paid. This happened to a lot of people in a town not to far from me. Sure, there were lots of law suits and the state and feds went after the owners but all those folks were still without their pre paid burials. All the plots that had been purchased and were suppose to be waiting on them.....GONE. All the dollars they spent paying for their funeral expenses....GONE.

You can cut expenses if you don't let the funeral home pressure you into things that you don't need. I personally plan on being cremated with no embalming. I have already told all my family if they can get away with doing this in a cardboard box just go to the grocery store and get a free one.

You do not have to pay for or be embalmed as long as you are buried within 3 days of death. That is an expense you can do without. Also, these expensive steel vaults they try to sell you to protect the casket. WHY? Also, you can have the wake at your home or the home of the deceased. This also cuts expense.

But even with all the expense cutting above you are still looking at a pretty hefty figure.