Funeral Homes Play on Emotions to Make More Money

Dearly Departed: The $15,000.00 Package - Oak casket at a funeral home with all of tha accoutrements
@AskAlly (3625)
Canada
January 23, 2007 1:57pm CST
I think the whole funeral process is one big con. Why do I need a satin pillow and lining when I don't even own satin sheets now?Is a $10,000 casket that much better than a pine box?I feel that funeral homes play on grief because a person is so vulnerable at that time. Does getting the more expensive package allieviate grief? How guilty would you feel it you could NOT afford the best? It only hurts the pocket book as far as I am concerened. If I found out later in the after life that my children had spent thousands on my funeral I would come back and haunt them. They had better not go against my wishes
10 people like this
8 responses
@Ashida (1370)
• United States
24 Jan 07
I saw a news report on this several years ago and I never realized that this industry is regulated by law, and that you can't just get buried in a homemade box. This seems utterly ridiculous to me -- almost as if you don't own your own body. You are right on the money with this. It's sad really.
3 people like this
@matlgal (1686)
• United States
24 Jan 07
DId you konw that you have to carry a Certificate/license to have your loved ones ashes with you? Yup! the gov't get in to everything. And....... did you know you just can throw ashes anywhere you want? You are suppose to get written permission. (This is in Calif, not sure if it's country wide or not). Just never ends !! OYE!!
2 people like this
@shywolf (4514)
• United States
24 Jan 07
That's really crazy that you have to have a certificate to do that.. I really didn't know that. What will the government do to get in our business next? Sheesh!
2 people like this
@AskAlly (3625)
• Canada
24 Jan 07
You are right about not being able to build your own. But you can but cardboard "caskets" for around $250.00 That's what we have made arrangements for. They were not offered to us, we had to keep asking for cheaper and cheaper ones untill he admitted there was the cardboard option
2 people like this
@matlgal (1686)
• United States
23 Jan 07
Your absolutely right! it's BIG business and a slimey one like so many others. It's no better than some used car sales person.... giving you this crap about "It's the last thing you can do for someone you love" and all that. Your right! it's all about the sale. A pine box and a party is all I want. Do you dare spend your life savings or whatever inheritance on my passing. My soul is in heaven the bones don't care.
2 people like this
@AskAlly (3625)
• Canada
23 Jan 07
Aha! Slimey that's the word I was looking for
2 people like this
@wiessied (646)
• United States
24 Jan 07
i agree with you completely i plan to be cremated so that is even cheaper.
1 person likes this
@AskAlly (3625)
• Canada
24 Jan 07
Yup, seems to be the cheapest way outta here.
1 person likes this
• United States
26 Jan 07
It's a business, like the rest of them. It is sad, but this is what they do as people grieve. I choose to be cremated, and even that is a con. This urn or this one with trim and such.
1 person likes this
@AskAlly (3625)
• Canada
26 Jan 07
Even though you are not allowed to make your own casket, you can make a box or urn for your ashes. At least where I come from. So my husband made us birch boxes for when the time comes
@missyd79 (3438)
• United States
24 Jan 07
i agree, i want to be cremated when i die because i do not want to put the finacial burden on my child(ren). when my father passed away he did not have any life insurance, so we had to take the cheapest route and it worked out the best because we split his ashes into 10, each of us kids got a peice of him and his brothers and sisters did too, and we did what we wanted to with his ashes.
2 people like this
@AskAlly (3625)
• Canada
24 Jan 07
That's such a touching story
2 people like this
• United States
26 Jan 07
My father passed away on Sunday, and the total for everything was approximately $7,000 - and that's with some of our relatives giving us some of the things we needed (like the vault and already owning a burial plot). If mom hadn't have had life insurance, I'm not sure how we would have paid for everything. These people are running a racket if you ask me (if that was the right word to use!)
@AskAlly (3625)
• Canada
26 Jan 07
This is hard to reply to since your grief is still so new. I'm glad to hear that your family was able to help out in your time of need. I wish you and your mom well.
• United States
24 Jan 07
Well, no duh? How else are you to bury a person? You do not have a choice, but to pay the price.
1 person likes this
• India
24 Jan 07
hey its a good way i am happy
1 person likes this