money saving funerals

WHIRLWIND_2

meg72 wrote: »

So sorry but have to disagree. funerals are for the deceased Its our last and final act to show love ....

If someone has taken the trouble to make their own arrangements,.....

1) Are not funerals are for ALL concerned? (the deceased, family, friends, colleagues) ... it helps the grieving process for the survivors and it can be an event of misery, great joy and anything in between. I live near a cemetry and see all sorts of cortege passing my window... solemn black horse-drawn affairs to 100's of 'bikers' paying a tribute to a friend - it brings people together.

2) Making your own pre-plan / arranging your own funeral is becoming more popular so you get the send off YOU WANT ! There are now quite a few online funeral planning services (free and cheap). My own brother has nominated me as his trustee, he has recorded his last wishes, important documents, a 'goodbye' video message and even a will online that I and his other trustees and access/execute on his death !! -

Julie_J

I believe its the person who organises the funeral that has to pay for it - hopefully out of the deceased's estate. However if there is insufficient funds and the person organising it is on certain benefits then they can claim a bereavement allowance? from the DSS to help pay for a basic funeral.

You can ask a funeral director for the price of a basic funeral - if its a cremation does it matter what sort of coffin is purchased if it is just going to be burnt? There is a difference in price whether the deceased is buried with their own clothes on or a shrowd. It's all down to personal choice.

Few years back I organised a basic funeral with the Co-op and didn't expect the cortage to leave from his home with a men walking slowly up the road in front of the herse as a mark of respect nor for them to be still there after the service to take people to see the flowers. Was greatly impressed.

pollypenny

meg72 wrote: »

Absolutely true but I have never known anyone to do this. Expect
family to fund an expensive funeral whilst leaving no funds I mean.

Oh, I do! Guy died deeply in debt, but he loved horses and he wanted the works! He got the black horses and carriage!

scotsbob

Never mind moneysaving, let's go in style and make a statement!

http://www.creativecoffins.com/

Stick me in the chocolate box one.

getmore4less

You can have traditional looking coffin with a cardboard insert for cremation

http://www.funeralsearch.co.uk/coffin-cover.php

Some crems do discounts for carbon saving coffins

Stuart_W

Picking up on the original post, my local funeral home (Anglia Co-operative) did have a non-advertised "basic" funeral plan at £995 when mum and I were discussing arrangements for Dad's funeral. It did have a number of restrictions, including limited choice on when the funeral could be.

We looked at cardboard coffins, but from a cost point of view these were actually more expensive than the cheapest wooden options. I guess demand may eventually change this.

Hope this helps.

slopemaster

pollypenny wrote: »

the black horses and carriage!

It's funny that, I thought it ws just me that was oddly attracted to the idea of black horses with black plumes etc; I didn't even know it was really still available.
But, when I had a look around at funeral directors' sites recently, quite a few seem to be offering that.

I have a nice family anecdote about money saving at funerals.
When my grandma was a young woman, and my mother was a little girl (ie in the 30s) granny had a Co-op plan on her granny's life - intended to pay for decent clothes for the funeral.
But when the day came, she borrowed the decent black clothes from a neighbour - and spent the money on a BRIGHT RED warm winter coat and hat for her little girl. The street was scandalised!

margaretclare

slopemaster wrote: »

It's funny that, I thought it ws just me that was oddly attracted to the idea of black horses with black plumes etc; I didn't even know it was really still available.
But, when I had a look around at funeral directors' sites recently, quite a few seem to be offering that.

I have a nice family anecdote about money saving at funerals.
When my grandma was a young woman, and my mother was a little girl (ie in the 30s) granny had a Co-op plan on her granny's life - intended to pay for decent clothes for the funeral.
But when the day came, she borrowed the decent black clothes from a neighbour - and spent the money on a BRIGHT RED warm winter coat and hat for her little girl. The street was scandalised!

Yes, I've seen the funerals with black horses etc around here.

I like the family anecdote. Granny had her priorities in the right order - warm winter coat and hat in a bright colour, money much better-spent than on clothes for one ceremony; the coat and hat would keep her daughter warm for much longer than just one day.

Gers

Stuart_W wrote: »

We looked at cardboard coffins, but from a cost point of view these were actually more expensive than the cheapest wooden options. I guess demand may eventually change this.

Hope this helps.

My father requested a cardboard coffin - way back in 1997 - and it did cost a lot more than conventional ones. In addition the crem charged more because they had to apply for a different emissions certificate! Hopefully things have moved on since then.

Funnily enough the supplier of the cardboard coffin (in Carlisle) told me to get the local undertakers to ring ahead when coming down from Glasgow to collect it 'as it's flat-pack and we'll put it up for them'! :rotfl::rotfl:

Actually, at that time the coffin was horrendous and I told my mother that she was going to get a 'proper' one. Luckily they have improved vastly since then.

Legally a body is the property of the NOK and s/he can dispose of it in any legal manner, even if contrary to the wishes of the deceased. Of course, most NOK will hope to do as asked but there's no legal requirement.

I'm for a wicker one I think.

margaretclare

My late daughter had a wicker one, made of bamboo. Apparently bamboo is a 'renewable resource' because it grows like a weed in the countries it is native to, so it was very 'green'.