local FUNERAL home dies

[Cement Bench]

play on words ok

am surprised but one of them just closed down

no big funerals any more or services, just plain box or cremation

maybe walmart or liquor stores or pot stores can take up the slack and offer a funeral service on the side?

[Grizzly Adams]

Buried in a Wall Mart casket, I like that.

Grizz

[Ken07AOVette]

I have seen ads online and on facebook constantly, funeral homes and funeral insurance looking for people to invest in their death.

I understand that it is a job that nobody wants, but the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ some of them charge for a funeral is just absolutely disgusting.

All it means is the other one will be able to charge more now.

[Okotok]

Having a Mennonite father converted to Catholic when he married my mother, I've been to a few Mennonite funerals. They build a pine or plywood coffin, dig the grave, the women friends of the family prepare and dress the body. Open coffin service with everyone contributing to the food etc. for afterwards. Not many people that can handle taking care of what are basic tasks in their world. Costs very little if you roll up your sleeves. Most in today's world don't have the ability or stomach for a very basic and inevitable happening.

[liar]

From what is have seen/heard the biggest two problems is that the average person does'nt deal with death andfunerals very often so we put trust in the "experts" to help us along (kind of like we do with lawyers and politicians) . Second problem is that "some" funeral homes try to sell up or guilt the clients with " wouldnt (loved one) be more comfortable in this better coffin " even though (loved one) had already pre chosen the coffin he/she wanted when they were very much alive .

[schleprock]

My sister was very frugal and didn’t want a bunch of money wasted on a fancy funeral. She was cremated as per her wishes and the cost was $1200.

[fishtank]

Originally Posted by Ken07AOVette

I have seen ads online and on facebook constantly, funeral homes and funeral insurance looking for people to invest in their death.

I understand that it is a job that nobody wants, but the $$$$$$$$$$$$$$ some of them charge for a funeral is just absolutely disgusting.

All it means is the other one will be able to charge more now.

It’s a price that love ones will fork over the money for ... 20k-40k. Casket , Plot, tombstone and such adds up real quick .... have heard stories of furneral home Will hold the ashes and Urn until the balance is paid in full , and if you want to enter the crematorium to push the furnace button for your love one it’s another $1k ..

[tri777]

Originally Posted by schleprock

My sister was very frugal and didn’t want a bunch of money wasted on a fancy funeral. She was cremated as per her wishes and the cost was $1200.

That's wisdom and what my very plan is.

[elkhunter11]

I can remember when people used to say that a funeral home was a safe business to be in, because you never run out of customers, but apparently things have changed.

[mooseknuckle]

Ive engraved a few headstones, and WOW i was contacted pretty quick by a funeral place aith thier displeasure. Thier mark ups on people in a vulnerable emotinal state is absolutely insane. I charged $400 to etch a decent granite stone, westlawn funeral..... $8500. i did two before they just put in writing if you want a spot there you have no choice but for them to supply the headstone and etching.

[Mavrick]

I donated my body to science, I think they even put a plaque on the wall somewhere. Then( if I go first) my wife will do a BBQ at the farm, should only cost a few bucks. Cheapest was to get rid of a stinky old body.

[flyrodfisher]

Originally Posted by Mavrick

Then( if I go first) my wife will do a BBQ at the farm, should only cost a few bucks. Cheapest was to get rid of a stinky old body.

[Ken07AOVette]

Originally Posted by mooseknuckle

Ive engraved a few headstones, and WOW i was contacted pretty quick by a funeral place aith thier displeasure. Thier mark ups on people in a vulnerable emotinal state is absolutely insane. I charged $400 to etch a decent granite stone, westlawn funeral..... $8500. i did two before they just put in writing if you want a spot there you have no choice but for them to supply the headstone and etching.

I nearly puked when I read that.

I guess I should not be surprised, they were offering 'family keepsake necklaces' to the mil when the fil died, they put a couple grams of grampa's ashes in a little necklace for $700.00.

I was going to ask him how he slept at night, but the answer would be like a baby, in a california king in a 12,000 ft mcmansion with servants. 'why do you ask?'

[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by Okotok

Having a Mennonite father converted to Catholic when he married my mother, I've been to a few Mennonite funerals. They build a pine or plywood coffin, dig the grave, the women friends of the family prepare and dress the body. Open coffin service with everyone contributing to the food etc. for afterwards. Not many people that can handle taking care of what are basic tasks in their world. Costs very little if you roll up your sleeves. Most in today's world don't have the ability or stomach for a very basic and inevitable happening.

Yes, been to a couple of those Mennonite funerals as well, both here and in Bolivia. I was called on to help carry the pine box and shovel afterwards. It puts you so much more in touch with the reality of it, and I believe people actually are helped by it, as it is part of the grieving process. I much prefer it to the way death has been commercialized for profit now. It's the death industry.

[big zeke]

If they are suffering, they did it to themselves.

I have been to a few where a family of very modest means got talked into a very expensive casket (to honour the dead), some of them had to finance the ordeal. They pick on a person in a very vulnerable time and once it's signed off the money flows.

They have certain guilt phrases that are meant to hit a nerve...I recall the first funeral guy talking to us about honouring my dads legacy (as if he ever knew him) and needing an urn for like $1000 to hold the cremains. I still recall the minimum he could sell for the cremation was something called the "Dignity Cardboard" series (I'm not making that name up)

Folks, when not clouded with grief, will look around and these overpriced guilt sessions will wane. Guess this means a funeral home will have to figure out how to be profitable on a $2000 funeral instead of a $10,000 one. Parasites

[HalfBreed]

A fella should be able to send whomever to the crematorium and hand over the coffee can he asked to be placed in.

[Grizzly Adams]

Originally Posted by big zeke

If they are suffering, they did it to themselves.

I have been to a few where a family of very modest means got talked into a very expensive casket (to honour the dead), some of them had to finance the ordeal. They pick on a person in a very vulnerable time and once it's signed off the money flows.

They have certain guilt phrases that are meant to hit a nerve...I recall the first funeral guy talking to us about honouring my dads legacy (as if he ever knew him) and needing an urn for like $1000 to hold the cremains. I still recall the minimum he could sell for the cremation was something called the "Dignity Cardboard" series (I'm not making that name up)

Folks, when not clouded with grief, will look around and these overpriced guilt sessions will wane. Guess this means a funeral home will have to figure out how to be profitable on a $2000 funeral instead of a $10,000 one. Parasites

I remember the suggestion of having a pillow made of your loved ones shirt, so you could still snuggle up to them.

Grizz

[gramps73]

Costco is in the casket business surprisingly enough.

[Red Bullets]

This pic is from 1910 taken in Alberta. This would be my idea of a nice view for the afterlife.

Worst part is some idiot would probably use my platform for a deer stand.

[Mavrick]

Originally Posted by gramps73

Costco is in the casket business surprisingly enough.

Well they certainly have enough cardboard boxes to choose from.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by Mavrick

Well they certainly have enough cardboard boxes to choose from.

Classic!

[Sooner]

I just went through this with process helping my mom with grandma's funeral. An eye opener.

My grandma had her plot beside her hubby done 60 yrs back. Saved there on plot costs but still quite expensive to finish the deal. And only 20 of us can go.


While there my mom picked hers and dads final resting spot. Dad will go in the ground when his time comes, mom cremated and on top when her time comes. Just under 40G.

No way I am giving up that kind of money from my estate to a funeral home to put me in the ground. I would rather the kids get it. My kids know to burn me at cremations are us(cheapest place they can find). I have 3 spots they can accidently dumps my ashes at. If they want me close, they can share the last 1/4 of me and put that in a vessel so that they can keep me in their houses. A nice pickle jar would be fine with me.

I got a kick out of the lady trying to convince me I should buy my plot now, so my kids will have a "spot" to come and say hi to dad. Umm, ya, not.

[Grizzly Adams]

Just under 40G


I read that and my eye brows go up, but then I think of what people spend on weddings these days, only to get divorced a couple of years later. We have way to much money.

Grizz

[Stinky Buffalo]

I mentioned this on another thread - at one of the most memorable funerals I attended, the casket was rough plywood with hardware that looked like it was straight from Home Depot. At the end of the funeral, the kids were given markers to write messages on the casket, to say goodbye to their uncle.

Pretty sure it was homemade. That's my kind of casket.

Other friends of mine - and these were some who were very careful with their money - had the cardboard caskets, wrapped in a material similar to Mac-Tac to make it look presentable.

I don't care where I'm buried - the more remote and desolate the better. Just borrowing the space temporarily, anyhow.

Funny thing about my dad - he wanted a simple casket, then, just at the last minute, he says, "You know, may as well get a nicer one... There's going to be some important people there." Still makes me laugh.

[Twisted Canuck]

I'm thinking I will build my own casket. Make a weekend project out of it. 3/4" plywood, good one side, and a nice light stain. Maybe bubble wrap interior so I will be comfortable.

[Ken07AOVette]

People prepaying years in advance is just insane. I imagine the funeral homes laughing all the way to the bank then when it is finally time crying because they have jacked their prices up 40x.

It's gross. $40g for a hole in the ground and some natural gas.

[sewerrat]

I work for a small community in the last year we only did 2 full graves and about 10 cremains.

[Stinky Buffalo]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

I'm thinking I will build my own casket. Make a weekend project out of it. 3/4" plywood, good one side, and a nice light stain. Maybe bubble wrap interior so I will be comfortable.

G1S? Fancy!

Don't forget to add a little bell in case they catch you napping and take you for dead...

[Twisted Canuck]

Originally Posted by Stinky Buffalo

G1S? Fancy!

Don't forget to add a little bell in case they catch you napping and take you for dead...

Adding options really drives the price of a coffin up. No bell. If I was napping, and they bury me, soon enough I will be dead anyway. Who is gonna know the difference?

[Red Bullets]

Originally Posted by Twisted Canuck

I'm thinking I will build my own casket. Make a weekend project out of it. 3/4" plywood, good one side, and a nice light stain. Maybe bubble wrap interior so I will be comfortable.

Like when Oscar from Corner Gas built his own coffin. Freaked himself out with he tried it for size. Ended up as a bookcase that fell apart when Emma put something on the shelf.