3 ms·

20k for a funeral? Really? Seemed legit until that.

jiggbenice 13y ago
Good grief...the comments on Hacker News never cease to amaze... ...just to give a representative example, last September my Dad died. 1) We had his remains cremated. 2) We got said remains without anything fancier than the cardboard box they came in. 3) We scattered his ashes ourselves as a family without any visitation, funeral ceremony, or anything. No gravestone, no casket, no wake, no ceremony, no officiant. Total cost: $6,000. $20,000 is absolutely realistic if he wants to be buried with an average casket, average headstone and average ceremony.
- genwin 13y ago
  It was $6K just for cremation? Or you had other costs?
  - jiggbenice 13y ago
    Well, from our perspective that's all that was done -- his body was cremated and given to us in ash-form. But I'm sure from the funeral home's perspective they did whatever preparations they had to do, processing, helped us put his obituary together and submitted it to publications, administration costs, etc.
- syntheticnature 13y ago
  Thank you for this. I am giving in to my urge to link it to some of the comments decrying the funereal cost given. I was told to set aside $20k fifteen years ago -- I'd expect now it would be much more.
Theodores 13y ago
It is a racket. One of the Mitford sisters pointed it out a while back: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/525561.The_American_Way_of_Death http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/525561.The_American_Way_o...
aestra 13y ago
If you take the funeral industry's advice and guidance, you can indeed spend 10-20K on a funeral. We spent 10K on my grandma's and she already per purchased her plot of land. Her casket alone cost something like 5 grand. Of course the funeral industry exists to make money. To convince you you need the expensive casket, the flower arrangements, and even the plot of land and headstone. Reminds me of the wedding industry as well, which invented new "traditions" that one needs and also needs to spend money on. Like anything, you don't need to spend 10 or 20 grand on a funeral, just most people want to for some reason. Perhaps a display of status? Social obligation? I don't know. Personally, it is important for me when I go to be cremated as fast as possible. No embalming or viewing of the body (needless and creepy). If my family chooses to honor me by throwing a party, that would be nice, but that should only be a few hundred dollars. I don't want my body to be there though.
gallamine 13y ago
Completely believable. Do you know how hard it is to negotiate with a funeral home when you mother is sobbing at the table with you?

Good grief...the comments on Hacker News never cease to amaze... ...just to give a representative example, last September my Dad died. 1) We had his remains cremated. 2) We got said remains without anything fancier than the cardboard box they came in. 3) We scattered his ashes ourselves as a family without any visitation, funeral ceremony, or anything. No gravestone, no casket, no wake, no ceremony, no officiant. Total cost: $6,000. $20,000 is absolutely realistic if he wants to be buried with an average casket, average headstone and average ceremony.

genwin 13y ago
It was $6K just for cremation? Or you had other costs?
- jiggbenice 13y ago
  Well, from our perspective that's all that was done -- his body was cremated and given to us in ash-form. But I'm sure from the funeral home's perspective they did whatever preparations they had to do, processing, helped us put his obituary together and submitted it to publications, administration costs, etc.
syntheticnature 13y ago
Thank you for this. I am giving in to my urge to link it to some of the comments decrying the funereal cost given. I was told to set aside $20k fifteen years ago -- I'd expect now it would be much more.

Theodores 13y ago

It is a racket. One of the Mitford sisters pointed it out a while back: http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/525561.The_American_Way_of_Death http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/525561.The_American_Way_o...

aestra 13y ago

If you take the funeral industry's advice and guidance, you can indeed spend 10-20K on a funeral. We spent 10K on my grandma's and she already per purchased her plot of land. Her casket alone cost something like 5 grand. Of course the funeral industry exists to make money. To convince you you need the expensive casket, the flower arrangements, and even the plot of land and headstone. Reminds me of the wedding industry as well, which invented new "traditions" that one needs and also needs to spend money on. Like anything, you don't need to spend 10 or 20 grand on a funeral, just most people want to for some reason. Perhaps a display of status? Social obligation? I don't know. Personally, it is important for me when I go to be cremated as fast as possible. No embalming or viewing of the body (needless and creepy). If my family chooses to honor me by throwing a party, that would be nice, but that should only be a few hundred dollars. I don't want my body to be there though.

gallamine 13y ago

Completely believable. Do you know how hard it is to negotiate with a funeral home when you mother is sobbing at the table with you?