# How do poor people pay for funerals? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 4, 2009, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007 "2009-04-04T23:09:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/41 "2009-04-06T17:24:32Z")
> [@scifisam2009](#): > > I don’t think it would ever occur to my family to put a notice in the newspapers (and birth/death/marriage notices are free in my local paper, anyway), administration of estate simply was not an issue (and never has been for anyone I’ve ever known who’s died), the headstone was not an issue, and flowers and food cost way less than that, perhaps because there weren’t as many as fifty people. It wasn’t scrimping or making do - they’re not just not essential parts of the funeral. It’s true these items are not essential elements of a funeral and that they don’t fit the thread title. That said, one of the themes of this topic is average cost. I wanted to point out that where averages apply there is more to consider than funeral expenses alone. Anyway, I’m going to suggest to my SO that in the event of my death any mourners should be encouraged to bring their own sandwiches. Also, instead of a newspaper notice, I want her to walk up and down the road with a placard announcing my sad demise. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![SciFiSam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@SciFiSam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SciFiSam)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/42 "2009-04-06T18:42:32Z")
> [@Chez\_Guevara](#): > > It’s true these items are not essential elements of a funeral and that they don’t fit the thread title. > > That said, one of the themes of this topic is average cost. I wanted to point out that where averages apply there is more to consider than funeral expenses alone. Very true - but then there are the costs of loss of income, if the person was working, loss of childcarem the family members taking time off work, etc etc, so t becomes impossible to estimate the true costs. Yet another thought is that more poor people might have life insurance than you’d expect. I have a small amount of life insurance through my credit union, and it cost me practically nothing. Bank loans also often offer pretty cheap life insurance alongside the loan - though then it depends what you mean by ‘poor.’ ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/43 "2009-04-06T19:21:54Z")
A coworker of mine had a son who died while overseas. (She was a low-paid receptionist.) She was extremely distraught, and it was very important to her that he be buried where she could care for his grave. He was apparently involved in some questionable activites, so the Embassy etc. were not very helpful. Her church took up a collection, as did we at the office, and collected enough money to get him shipped home in a lovely wooden box. Her church took care of the service and transportation, and they had a small burial plot where he was interred. Often churches in poor areas do have such a plot. I’ve noticed one seldom sees that at “wealthy” churches. ---
**Author:** ![peedin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peedin/32/14095_2.png) [@peedin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/peedin)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/44 "2009-04-06T19:27:55Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > Most of the people I know who have been cremated had visitation in a regular coffin (not the cardboard number that’s cremated with them). Just out of morbid curiosity, does anybody know how much it costs to rent these coffins? We paid about $400 to rent one for my dad when he died in 2003. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/45 "2009-04-06T19:52:45Z")
“When I go, I just want to be stood outside in the garbage with my hat on.”–Lou Grant ---
**Author:** ![Reply](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reply/32/15952_2.png) [@Reply](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reply)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/46 "2009-04-06T20:16:13Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > Wait, they actually sell coffins at costco? Heh. I thought that was a joke. [offtopic] Yep. Right next to the windowsills, furniture, etc. and right by the exit. “Can I check your receipt, please? Isn’t it about time to remodel? Oh, how 'bout a coffin then? Remember, everything we sell is covered by our Satisfaction Guarantee!” You know, they already offer groceries, hot food, cars, gas, coffins, a pharmacy, health insurance… won’t be long before you can be born at, live, work, eat, and die at Costco. [/offtopic] ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/47 "2009-04-06T21:15:56Z")
While cremation is forbidden\*, so is embalming and so is wasting money on the dead. Jewish law and tradition calls for naked burial in the cheapest box money can buy. While many (I’d say most) Jews bury their dead in a suit or a nice dress, they do go with a plain pine box with bits of rope for handles. There is no way the average Jewish funeral costs $10,000. Orthodox Jews get it even cheaper by filling in the grave themselves (most Jews only personally shovel on enough dirt to cover the coffin and have the cemetery fill in the rest). After my Father’s death, I discovered that somebody makes a cardboard coffin. The thing only costs $75. When Mom’s time comes (Og willing it won’t be for many years), she’s getting a cardboard coffin. A few hours of investigation on what the law and businesses require a funeral director for convinced me that they must be very well off. So I must ask **Guinastasia** How _you_ doin? Keep in mind I like Star Wars and am fascinated by Rasputin and that you could do a lot worse. \*Dad died in Florida and his plot was in Philadelphia. It proved ridiculously expensive to transport a corpse across state lines. So we gave in and had Dad cremated. Rather than incur an additional few hundred dollars for his ashes to be interred in his plot, we scattered them in the Atlantic. Fortunately for us, dad loved marine life and scuba diving and such a gesture was respectful as well as cheap. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/48 "2009-04-06T21:28:54Z")
I’ll be attending a funeral this week that is going to cost more than the deceased or the survivors can afford. I’ve attended two other funerals where the situation was the same. One grieving spouse bought is wife a ruby ring because she had always wanted one. He buried her with it. Oh…did I mention he had to borrow $14K to bury her? Anatomical Gift Society for me, baby. I think it cost my dad about $800 to have my mom’s body transported to the school. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2009, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/49 "2009-04-06T21:47:58Z")
In the U.S. the “Big Boy” (or “Funerals R Us”) company is Service Corporation International. They were the inspiration for Kroehner in _Six Feet Under_ and they’re a monopoly in some areas. [From their wiki:](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Service_Corporation_International) > [@](#): > > On December 31, 1999, SCI owned and operated 3,823 funeral service locations, 525 cemeteries, 198 crematoria and two insurance operations located in 20 countries on five continents. They were blocked from merging with the second largest mortuary service because it wold have increased the areas in which they held monopolies. In any case, I would imagine that one advantage of having such a giant is that they can afford to deal with clients who have to pay on installments. There’s actually a financing wing of their operation. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/50 "2009-04-07T01:16:45Z")
> [@DocCathode](#): > > A few hours of investigation on what the law and businesses require a funeral director for convinced me that they must be very well off. So I must ask **Guinastasia** How _you_ doin? Oh, I WISH. EVERYONE assumes this. When my parents were married, someone told my mother she was lucky because morticians are rich. If you own your own funeral home, that might be the case.\* Dad manages one, but like I said, it’s owned by a corporations (and with the economy as it is…) Trust me, it’s not always the case. ☹ I did, however, get free flowers growing up (you’d be surprised how many people leave those floral arrangements behind-those things are EXPENSIVE!!! And we never wanted for pens!) \*My dad had the chance to buy into a partnership with another furneral director. Unfortunately, my grandfather refused to give him a loan, because he’s a bitter, stingy asshole. ---
**Author:** ![Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Harvey\_The\_Heavy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harvey_The_Heavy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/51 "2009-04-07T08:19:07Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > In the U.S. the “Big Boy” (or “Funerals R Us”) company is Service Corporation International…They were blocked from merging with the second largest mortuary service because it wold have increased the areas in which they held monopolies. Do you mean Alderwoods? That deal actually went through, although they did have to sell off some locations before the SEC approved the merger. I work at a very large former Alderwoods, now SCI location. Although I’m not rich, I’m not too worried about getting laid off or outsourced, even in this economy. And yes, the free pens are a nice fringe benefit. ---
**Author:** ![Scumpup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce73a5/32.png) [@Scumpup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scumpup)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/52 "2009-04-07T15:36:33Z")
To answer the OP, the funeral home where I worked for a number of years simply did a fair number of charity cases each year. That was nearly 30 years ago and pre-dated the present era of corporately owned chains of funeral homes, though. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/53 "2009-04-07T16:57:24Z")
> [@Scumpup](#): > > To answer the OP, the funeral home where I worked for a number of years simply did a fair number of charity cases each year. That was nearly 30 years ago and pre-dated the present era of corporately owned chains of funeral homes, though. There are still a lot of charities around (at least around HERE) that will aid those who can’t pay for a funeral. Like I said, Dad is always willing to work with those who can’t pay. (HIS problem is more with those who want a huge dog and pony show for cheap-when he knows they can afford it.) ---
**Author:** ![sqweels](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f19dbf/32.png) [@sqweels](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sqweels)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/54 "2009-04-07T19:57:16Z")
Just to add a little levity to the thread… [Wille the Wimp and his Cadillac Coffin](http://www.srvrocks.com/lyrics-willie_the_wimp.htm) ---
**Author:** ![badbadrubberpiggy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/57b2e6/32.png) [@badbadrubberpiggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/badbadrubberpiggy)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 8:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/55 "2009-04-07T20:33:07Z")
> [@Guinastasia](#): > > There are still a lot of charities around (at least around HERE) that will aid those who can’t pay for a funeral. Like I said, Dad is always willing to work with those who can’t pay. > > (HIS problem is more with those who want a huge dog and pony show for cheap-when he knows they can afford it.) I work for children’s hospital, and one of our programs will help pay for funeral cost’s if the child’s family can’t afford it. How much they pay for depends on a number of things (this program doesn’t only deal with funeral costs, but a lot of non-medical costs for poor families), but it can be anywhere from paying for just a casket to the whole cost of a basic burial. ---
**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/56 "2009-04-07T21:10:00Z")
On the subject of levity I like the[art caskets](http://artcaskets.com/)- a real site where you can custom design a coffin with your favorite sports team/band/occupation/recreation, whatever. (There most popular used to be a [KISS coffin](http://www.threedonia.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/kisskasket.jpg)that could double as a refrigerator, but I think they had to cease and desist due to copyright issues.) If I planned to be buried I’d go with one of these handmade [Trappist caskets](http://www.trappistcaskets.com/)- from $695 for the super plain box to $3000+ for the more elaborate. They can be used as furniture til “the day” arrives. Instead I want to be cremated (but with a tell-all cenotaph somewhere for use by future genealogists). ---
**Author:** ![Cyberhwk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7993a0/32.png) [@Cyberhwk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyberhwk)\ **Post date:** [April 8, 2009, 5:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/57 "2009-04-08T05:51:08Z")
> [@Sampiro](#): > > On the subject of levity I like the[art caskets](http://artcaskets.com/)- a real site where you can custom design a coffin with your favorite sports team/band/occupation/recreation, whatever. (There most popular used to be a [KISS coffin](http://www.threedonia.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/10/kisskasket.jpg)that could double as a refrigerator, but I think they had to cease and desist due to copyright issues.) I like [Return to Sender](http://artcaskets.com/codepages/return.html). ---
**Author:** ![StGermain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stgermain/32/2868_2.png) [@StGermain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StGermain)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2009, 2:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/58 "2009-04-10T02:27:19Z")
I looked on the Metro Nashville government website for social services, and this is what they say: > [@](#): > > Burial Assistance - 615-862-6458 > > Program Description > Metropolitan Government/Metro Social Services provides pays for the burial of deceased persons who did not leave sufficient resources to cover the cost of their burial expenses. > > Eligibility > > Was a resident of Nashville Davidson County, or died in Nashville Davidson County without family/friends who will take responsibility for his burial; > Did not leave sufficient cash or insurance resources within his aid group to pay the cost of his burial expenses; > Did not die in a state or federal institution, or in state or federal custody. > Services Provided > > The usual and customary services, preparation and equipment provided by funeral establishments, including cremation, if the family prefers; transport of the deceased and use of the funeral chapel whenever possible and applicable. > Gravesite in Metro Bordeaux Cemetery, where interment is required unless the family/applicant prefers (cost free) burial in a Veterans Ceme¬tery for a person who qualifies for interment there, or, unless remains are not to be interred > Opening/closing of grave at Metro Bordeaux Cemetery; > Adult size concrete vault (when interred at Metro Bordeaux Cemetery) > Special combination casket/outside container for infants; > Grave marker bearing the name and years of birth/death of deceased (when interred at Metro Bordeaux Cemetery). So the city or county will bury you if you can’t bury yourself, apparently. StG ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2009, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/59 "2009-04-10T02:39:50Z")
> [@Raguleader](#): > > I just gotta ask why a casket needs to cost $4,000. If I get any say in it (which, well, I might not, since I’ll be dead), I’d rather be put in a simple pine box, sanded down enough so it’s safe to handle by the pallbearers. I dunno, maybe a funeral home is expensive to run, so they sell expensive caskets to cover it, but geez, any explanations for this beyond “because the market will support it”? I personally love [these](http://www.trappistcaskets.com/index.asp)- the simple pine caskets look like they might even work for observant Jews. They make lovely urns as well. ETA- Dammit, **Sampiro**! That’s what I get for skipping ahead! ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [April 10, 2009, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007/60 "2009-04-10T02:51:32Z")
> [@Dangerosa](#): > > There are. In Minnesota you have to use an approved casket or urn that has to be purchased in the state (no buying your caskets from Costco for us Minnesotans). Huh. From the Trappist Caskets website- > [@](#): > > All funeral homes and cemeteries in the U.S. are obligated by law to accept any funeral merchandise you wish to provide. Sensitive funeral providers will be very helpful in facilitating your request for a Trappist Casket. We are happy to assist you in making arrangements with your funeral provider. Anybody finding a cite to support either position? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-pay-for-funerals/492007.md?page=4)