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Funeral industry profits are driven by playing on your emotions and make you feel cheap if you do not spend an exorbitant amount for their overpriced wares (kind of like weddings). If you are concerned about appearing 'cheap' to family members, one can only assume that they will be sharing the expense with you (?).
A cremation and a memorial service is quite common and an acceptable alternative to an expensive casket and burial plot (the largest expenses).
If you already have a family burial plot, another alternative to consider is a 'ceremonial casket.' Funeral homes offer these for viewings and even graveside services (but, rarely advertise the fact). They then collect the casket and bury the individual in an inexpensive model (replacing the interior of the ceremonial casket for future re-use).
Another good alternative is to shop caskets and markers online and make those arrangements before the fact. This will save you about 70-percent of the cost for the same thing you would buy from a funeral home.
FPNI
That's the plan for both my wife and I. Extravagant funerals are an incredible waste of money.
Final expense plans are typically a life insurance plan and given what you have said about your sister, she probably won't qualify for a typical life insurance plan and if you can get a guaranteed acceptance, it might be an option. Getting a $7000-10,000 plan should cover a basic funeral and other associated costs (final medical bills or whatever). As someone else suggested, look into a prepaid funeral plan. Often they are less expensive overall and often accumulate interest. I know my aunt had one and when she died, ended up with about $2000 extra in that plan over the cost of her funeral which was refunded to her estate after the bills were paid.
You can also look into other sources for life insurance for her. If you are her legal guardian, your employer sponsored life insurance plan might be an option. Talk to your HR person. Same if you have life insurance on yourself, you might be able to add a rider to your plan to cover her since she is disabled-but typically only if you are her legal guardian.
Thanks everyone....I guess the moral of the story is that if I go cheap enough I won't need a policy!
Think of it as tasteful and dignified, not cheap.
The service that I mentioned earlier, with coffee and cake, in the church hall probably cost less for food for 150 people as my MIL's funeral dinner at a restaurant cost for 15 people.
The service that I mentioned earlier, with coffee and cake, in the church hall probably cost less for food for 150 people as my MIL's funeral dinner at a restaurant cost for 15 people.
Thanks....the funeral will be in a small town with no restaurant options beyond a greasy spoon and one I'd never pick for a group of people. There won't be a big fancy hearse or limousines for the family. No live music....no fancy food...maybe a few flowers....I dunno I guess that's wasteful too but I suppose plants that my black thumb would eventually kill would be a step up.
Not specific to your comments germaine but I never said I was planning anything extravagant...nor anything cheap. The latest hot thing is to revile any funeral that costs more than $100 as wasteful. I'm not doing pinebox...my sister doesn't want to be cremated and there is already a plot bought and paid for. Yes, dignified...not a pinebox and NOT a $25k casket.
Everyone planning their OWN funeral can do whatever they want...this is for my sister...and I will only go SO cheap for her...for myself, maybe I'll donate my body to science!
What I asked for were thoughts on final expenses policies...or I suppose options. Of which one, the one most have commented on is to do it cheap enough that I don't need any money.
Did that cremation include a viewing and service beforehand?
I wonder. Mom was cremated, and we had a service and refreshments at the church. Her cremation cost was under $900, but there were other expenses like the donation to the church and, of course, the food.
I know it would have cost more if we'd let a funeral home handle it.
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