The High Cost of Dying
Immediately after the death of a loved one, a rollercoaster of emotions will emerge, ranging from denial to anger and eventually sadness. As if this myriad of feelings isn?t difficult enough, you then have to proceed with the burial process. Traditionally this is a ceremony that is meant to be a thoughtful, tribute to the person?s life. It is a time for family and friends to say their final goodbyes. Unfortunately, this once simple tradition has now become a multi-million dollar business with the average funeral costing approximately 15,000 dollars!
The most common and expensive items purchased for a funeral include the casket, the burial plot, flowers, the hearse, and the rental of the parlor for services. The casket, which was once made with love by a neighbor or friend is now sold by funeral homes for upwards of $3,000. A simple oak box no longer makes the cut. Nowadays, the casket needs to be equipped with a steel reinforced concrete box to prevent the decaying remains from surfacing. This brings us to the burial plot. Cemeteries have become areas of prime real estate priced by the square foot as opposed to by the acre. Grave plots traditionally start in the one thousand dollar price range and will vary depending on where the plot is located.
Of course, you can?t forget the transportation of the casket from the funeral parlor to the cemetery. The rental of a hearse ranges from $75 to $200 per hour. If the driving time from one location to another is short, say only 15 minutes, you will still be charged for one full hour. Funeral parlors also charge high fees for the services of a clergyman. This can cost around $200. Finally there are the flowers. An ordinary floral arrangement can be purchased for around $50 but once you mention it is for a funeral the price skyrockets to $150!
If you are looking for Immediately after the death of a loved one, a rollercoaster of emotions will emerge, ranging from denial to anger and eventually sadness. As if this myriad of feelings isn?t difficult enough, you then have to proceed with the burial process. Traditionally this is a ceremony that is meant to be a thoughtful, tribute to the person?s life. It is a time for family and friends to say their final goodbyes. Unfortunately, this once simple tradition has now become a multi-million dollar business with the average funeral costing approximately 15,000 dollars!
The most common and expensive items purchased for a funeral include the casket, the burial plot, flowers, the hearse, and the rental of the parlor for services. The casket, which was once made with love by a neighbor or friend is now sold by funeral homes for upwards of $3,000. A simple oak box no longer makes the cut. Nowadays, the casket needs to be equipped with a steel reinforced concrete box to prevent the decaying remains from surfacing. This brings us to the burial plot. Cemeteries have become areas of prime real estate priced by the square foot as opposed to by the acre. Grave plots traditionally start in the one thousand dollar price range and will vary depending on where the plot is located. Of course, you can?t forget the transportation of the casket from the funeral parlor to the cemetery. The rental of a hearse ranges from $75 to $200 per hour. If the driving time from one location to another is short, say only 15 minutes, you will still be charged for one full hour. Funeral parlors also charge high fees for the services of a clergyman. This can cost around $200. Finally there are the flowers. An ordinary floral arrangement can be purchased for around $50 but once you mention it is for a funeral the price skyrockets to $150! If you are looking for Real Funeral Insurance go to: life.realinsurance.com.au/Life-Insurance/Funeral-Expenses-Cover.aspx