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Are funeral directors making too much profit out of their work?

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A couple of weeks ago 3 friends passed away in the space of 4 days and last week there were 3 funerals on three consecutive days. This (and a report on BBC breakfast about the rising cost of funerals) prompted a conversation with my OH. We have decided not to have funerals. We will have a cheap coffin, no service so no fancy hearses and flowers etc. Instead the funeral director will take our bodies to the crematorium for cremation. A couple of days later our ashes will be collected by family members to be spread somewhere (my ashes should be heading back up north) and that's it. We've told the boys and we are going to add these directions to our wills.

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A while ago there was a thread on here about whether you needed to have a proper funeral and I recall that you could just arrange to have your body taken to the Crematoriam. I decided then that that's what I want too. My family and friends are all over and it would be too much to ask for them all to get together just to send me on my way.

I keep saying I will write to them to ask how I should go about setting this in motion but never get round to it....I should, I know......another year older in 28 days.......

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When my eldest Son Died in June 08 ..We didn't hire any Funeral Cars ...Me an ' mrs GUZZI followed the Hearse on mi' Bike and there were enough cars to accomodate everybody else .

Even so , the Funeral expenses ( inc Burial Plot ) were £2,400 + £ 1,500 for the Headstone .:(

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Not something that I really want to think or ask about, but sadly I do need to know...does anyone have any idea of the costs if the burial plot has already been paid for?

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A while ago there was a thread on here about whether you needed to have a proper funeral and I recall that you could just arrange to have your body taken to the Crematoriam. I decided then that that's what I want too. My family and friends are all over and it would be too much to ask for them all to get together just to send me on my way.

I keep saying I will write to them to ask how I should go about setting this in motion but never get round to it....I should, I know......another year older in 28 days.......

 

OH and I just told our 2 boys (who we presume will arrange our funerals at the right time and not before) what we want and we're going to add a note in to our will. It won't be witnessed so I don't think it's legally binding but at least it'll be a reminder of what we want. I trust the boys to do this for us especially as there'll be more money for them to inherit :D. The boys said that they'll throw a big party with the money they'll save. OH said if that's the case he'd like certain relatives to dance on his grave....... oh and by the way he wants to be buried at sea :hihi:. If we decide to change our will at any time we will get it written in properly.

 

Joanl I think that all that has to be done is for whoever is organising the funeral to tell the funeral director what they want and the funeral director will follow those instructions. I guess if you know which funeral directors it will be you could have a word with them.

 

Some people may think this is all a bit morbid but it will save some anguish at a very sad time.

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Not something that I really want to think or ask about, but sadly I do need to know...does anyone have any idea of the costs if the burial plot has already been paid for?

 

Try this Moonbird,I am also getting close to a decision about pre paying.

http://www.funeralplansonline.co.uk/default.aspx

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I do think the prices you pay nowa days for funeral expences coffins etc is rather stiff.

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As someone who works for a company that imports headstones I can safely say imho that monumental masons do charge too much money. Every company is in business to make money but even taking into account graveyard and council fees etc is it really necessary to sell on an item that you paid less than 100 for for more than 2 thousand pounds??

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A friend of mine buried his father-in-law (estranged) a few months ago and did everything on 'the cheap' as they couldn't afford anything more. Had cheapist coffin, only hurst and 1 car etc and it still cost them £7000+ and from what I have heard, these prices are going to go up dramatically over the next few years! I'm guessing it's just becuase they can!

 

Sorry, just noticed typing error! Meant £3000+ not £7000

:blush:

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A friend of mine buried his father-in-law (estranged) a few months ago and did everything on 'the cheap' as they couldn't afford anything more. Had cheapist coffin, only hurst and 1 car etc and it still cost them £7000+ and from what I have heard, these prices are going to go up dramatically over the next few years! I'm guessing it's just becuase they can!

 

This seems extremely high for a very basic funeral, i'm sure if you check with the family again you may find you could have misheard the total costing of the funeral wrong.

 

If you have heard it correctly, i'm afraid they definately have been over charged in my opinion.

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Sorry, just noticed typing error! Meant £3000+ not £7000

:blush:

 

Thats more like it.:hihi:

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