How Cheap can a Funeral Be !

Helen_from_yorkshire · 19 September 2005 at 9:42PM

My MIL is getting on in years and me and OH have been thinking about her funeral - morbid I know but it happens to us all!

We'll end up paying for it as she's probably not got a bean in the bank, she spends money like water. What we're looking for is the cheapest funeral possible - has anyone got any ideas of price. We did think about an old Ford Escort with a roof rack, but then maybe not !

tootles_2 · 19 September 2005 at 10:10PM

Do not know about how cheap a funeral is but I do know of someone who went to tender after their mother died..... took the cheapest of three.

The only suggestion I have is that you ring a couple of undertakers and ask them about the options.

Helen_from_yorkshire · 19 September 2005 at 10:13PM

Thanks for that Tootles and what a good idea!

trace-j · 19 September 2005 at 10:19PM

Has the MIL made a will, burial or cremation preferences? Might be worth checking, without wanting to appear as a gold digger:rotfl: With burial not only having to pay for the service, stone, coffin, you also have to pay for the land.

It's probably worth your while phoning around funeral directors, etc to get prices and what various people can offer you. When the time comes you'll just want to get it over and done with, so I guess it is sensible to think ahead. This business is expensive, the OFT have produced some guidance.

Helen_from_yorkshire · 19 September 2005 at 10:23PM

What happens if MIL dies penniless and in huge debt but with a request in her will that she be buried. Can this be enforced even though we would have to pay for it?

tootles_2 · 19 September 2005 at 10:32PM

Not neccessarily, a friend of ours had asked to be cremated, when she died her family overruled her wishes and had her buried. I believe you can get a grant towards a funeral, there is a leaflet in existance, try the website for pensions, I have an idea that I have read something on there.

Even with a burial you do not have to have a church service first you can have a service at the graveside equally you do not have to have a wake afterwards...... its up to you.

Funeral expenses are usually paid out of any monies left by the deceased, this is a legal requirement they are part of the dispersements before an estate can be settled.

Mr_Proctalgia · 19 September 2005 at 11:43PM

I have (unfortunately) been researching this subject, to put it bluntly you will spend about £2K, but........... There are options. Now, if the deceased is skint and you have money you cannot claim any help, if you are already claiming benefits then the council have to pay for a hearse and car and a "simple service" So.....Get someone on benefits to be the arranger! - You have to fill in a multipage form thingie but it is easy to do. It would be wise to think about whether she has any "known relatives" or not.

Also you can legally leave a body at the back door to the crematorium and they will dispose of it with payment of the burning fee, I was also advised that in extemis if the person concerned dies in hospital then if you simply walk away it becomes their problem.
What actually happened was that I arranged a service with a humanist, the best funeral I have ever been too (I know I know) A real celebration of their life and I think well worth the money, we cried, we laughed, we sang daft songs - but I think well worth the money.

se999 · 20 September 2005 at 7:34AM

There's a chapter in 'Save Cash & Save the Planet' which covers births, marriages & deaths.

It includes information on cardboard coffins, and bamboo coffins, natural burial grounds and lots of alternatives. Although there are some regulations about disposal of bodies for obvious reasons, undertakers aren't the only option and probably aren't the cheapest.

This is the amazon link, but I think you can normally get it cheaper elsewhere if you shop around.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/000719420X/qid=1127197677/sr=2-1/ref=sr_2_11_1/202-0390565-0990268

There's also the Natural Death Handbook, but I've not seen this so don't know what it's like, but this is the Amazon link:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1844132269/qid=1127197822/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_3_1/202-0390565-0990268

The other obvious money and time saver is to try to make sure there is a will in place in case there are any problems or disputes. So that the estate can be tidied up quickly and smoothly with as little expensive solicitor time as possible.

Edit - I remembered there were a couple of threads on the marriage, relationships board a while ago, here are the links:

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=8513&highlight=funerals

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?t=54718&highlight=funerals

They might give you some ideas on what you need to think about.

Toothsmith · 20 September 2005 at 8:05AM

Mr_Proctalgia wrote:

Also you can legally leave a body at the back door to the crematorium and they will dispose of it with payment of the burning fee, I was also advised that in extemis if the person concerned dies in hospital then if you simply walk away it becomes their problem.

I believe the crematorium would prefer it if the body was wrapped up.

I think the minimum you could get away with is a couple of strong blokes, a couple of bin bags and a van/estate car. I would assume a valid death certificate would be needed at some stage in the disposal process as well.

I have told Mrs T.S that should she survive me, her task is to get the job done as cheaply as possible

tr3mor · 20 September 2005 at 8:44AM

You could always chop her in half, submerse her in formaldahyde then sell her to some trendy london bar. Not only moneysaving, but it could also be pretty profitable!!

:eek:

culpepper · 20 September 2005 at 8:54AM

When my father died my mother had to borrow the money to get him cremated.The undertaker insisted that he had to have a coffin and as far as we know,it burnt with him. He had £100 in the bank and the cremation cost £300 (1980) .
I believe it could have been done much more cheaply as there are cardboard coffins .Instead of an Urn,headstone etc she opted for an entry in a book kept at the crematorium.
Considering he was not a christian and actually scorned religeon ,I think the short service beforehand was also an unnecessary cost.

PLEASE READ BEFORE POSTING

How Cheap can a Funeral Be !

Comments

Categories

Get our FREE Weekly email full of deals & guides - and it’s spam-free