Cost of dying killing family budgets
Filed under: Bargains, Insurance-life
As if California's economy wasn't dead enough, the Los Angeles Times is reporting that the Los Angeles County Coroner's office is getting as crowded as Disneyland on Seniors Day. With families struggling to meet their bills, fewer have the money necessary to pay for the burial of their loved (or at least tolerated) ones. Twenty-five percent more bodies have gone unclaimed this year, sending subsequent cremations up from 525 to 712.
In Baton Rouge, Melvin Stewart's 15-year-old son Melvin passed away recently, felled by cancer. The Stewarts were facing a $5,000 funeral home bill to properly bury their son, a sum that was beyond their means.
Funeral director Hall Davis IV suggested they could save $300 by digging the grave themselves. (Does that seem like cold-hearted advice to you?) Members of the Louisiana State Troopers Association were so moved by this that they stepped in and paid the remaining amount.
Finally, the New York Times reported on the dramatic increase in home burials, a return to the death rituals of the frontier U.S.
By building the casket themselves, passing on embalming, showing the body at home and burying the deceased on family-owned property instead of a graveyard, a respectful sendoff can be done for a tiny fraction of the $6,000 spent on the average American funeral.



Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
7-22-2009 @ 8:33PM
Chrissy said...
The cost of dying is atrocious, so why not better prepare yourself the way my family did by reading Kathy Lane's latest book, "Die $Mart".
It's easy to read, easy to understand and answers the questions you have.
I'm only telling you this because a friend of mine is going through her 2nd death in the family. Both under the age of 25.
You can die at any time, why not get better prepared now while you can.
The loss of a loved one is stressful, I'm sure most of us have gone through it. But why not mourn for the loss of the loved one instead of having the additional stress of all the costs and fees and such a funeral can cost.
Spread the word, please. For my friends sake and yours too!
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7-22-2009 @ 8:38PM
Chrissy said...
Also, you can find more about this book on the website http://diesmart.com/ it can answer all your questions too.
Reply