Purchase to die for

[crankedup]

Not the happiest subject for discussion, but it is part of life I suppose. Wife and I have opted for a woodland burial and are in process of purchasing our plots. We are also intending to take out a funeral plan or a outright pre-purchase of our wishes.

Looking at funeral plans they all seem to be around the same exorbitant cost, however for us the motivation is once all is purchased we can forget about it. Our family will not be burdened emotionally or financially when the day of reckoning arrives.

The question is which funeral director to choose, television documentary a few years back revealed some bad practices by one National well known brand. So a case of pick a straw.

[crankedup]

^^^^
It's one of the last great taboo subjects, and yet it's is an unavoidable situation we all have to face. Your right, pre planning lifts a weight of your family shoulders and 'we' get the send off we wish for.

[crankedup]

Sheepshanks said:

crankedup said:

The question is which funeral director to choose, television documentary a few years back revealed some bad practices by one National well known brand. So a case of pick a straw.

Just used a very long established (like 150yrs) local firm for my Mum - turned out when I came to pay that they're owned by a group who have been busy snapping up funeral directors.

Interesting on the cost - they handled my Dad's funeral too, with a few months short of ten years between them. I found the bill amongst my Mum's papers and the cost had pretty well doubled. The firm had been acquired by its new owners in that time.

Indeed, an American Company has been busy buying independants for some years, and, as you found, the independants name is kept after the business changes hands. This particular American Company have also brought with it some 'unusual ' upselling products. For example following cremation why not purchase the love locket which contains some of your loved ones cremated remains, so they are always 'close to your heart'. I find some of that truely distasteful, but others may care for it and it is offered. at a price.

Me, as I said in my op, it's a woodland burial in a very simple pine board coffin. My parting music will be 'spirit in the sky' and my transport to the wood will be a 30cwt Bedford flatbed.
Sorted.

[crankedup]

davek_964 said:

crankedup said:

Indeed, an American Company has been busy buying independants for some years, and, as you found, the independants name is kept after the business changes hands. This particular American Company have also brought with it some 'unusual ' upselling products. For example following cremation why not purchase the love locket which contains some of your loved ones cremated remains, so they are always 'close to your heart'. I find some of that truely distasteful, but others may care for it and it is offered. at a price.

Me, as I said in my op, it's a woodland burial in a very simple pine board coffin. My parting music will be 'spirit in the sky' and my transport to the wood will be a 30cwt Bedford flatbed.
Sorted.

I imagine there are people who will want that - a lot of the funeral stuff is far more for the living than the dead. My mums attitude to her ashes were : I'm dead, it's ash - chuck it in a skip. But some of my relatives got together to scatter the ashes somewhere that they felt was relevant - guess it made them feel better.

100% correct imo. It is for the living, all the traditions and razzamataz with perhaps a wake after the funeral. But I want to ensure that our wishes are known by the family and that money involved is sorted, saves the argument about what 'I am worth' and the guilt trip that family may have compensated by a lavish send off. We would rather the money go on something they can enjoy, like a holiday maybe.

[crankedup]

so called said:

Misunderstood the thread title. My first thought was the TVR Cerbera I bought last year.

As it happens our lad has one of those, the 4.5, goes like stink.

[crankedup]

joestifff said:

It is something that will happen, and will cost money. I personally would rather not burden my family with the bills when the time comes. However, saying all that I have not sorted it out for myself. I am only early 30's and know I would like a woodland burial. Should have a proper conversation with the wife, see if she is keen and book a double plot. An awful thing to take about, and even approach, but I am a sensible, boring accountant!

Cost near me is £1400 each, but discounted if double plot, think you can pay 50% now and 50% on the day of death!. I figure, these costs are only going to go up in price. Hopefully we have another good 60 years left.

Having just had a daughter, what on earth do we do about this? force this idea onto her? make a plot available in case she would want it? I feel sick to the core thinking this, but be nice to be together, even though I am not spiritual.

Our woodland burial plots come at a cost of £684 for each plot, we have to pay upfront and receive the purchase certificate for our side by side plots.
We are now in process of buying our pre purchase funeral plans, left it a bit late really but feel it is time to get on with it.
Waiting to hear how much the funeral plan will cost each, but it will be at today's prices and fixed.
As I mentioned earlier we want to arrange and pay now, we can then enjoy the rest of our lives without the worry or burden that we have pushed this business of life onto our two children.
We are both 66 years in May this year.

ps : regarding your daughter, let her decide for her wishes in due course with her future husband/ partner and perhaps her children, imo.

Edited by crankedup on Wednesday 19th April 11:29

[crankedup]

hyphen said:

crankedup said:

Not the happiest subject for discussion, but it is part of life I suppose. Wife and I have opted for a woodland burial and are in process of purchasing our plots. We are also intending to take out a funeral plan or a outright pre-purchase of our wishes.

Looking at funeral plans they all seem to be around the same exorbitant cost, however for us the motivation is once all is purchased we can forget about it. Our family will not be burdened emotionally or financially when the day of reckoning arrives.

The question is which funeral director to choose, television documentary a few years back revealed some bad practices by one National well known brand. So a case of pick a straw.

Why do you care about where you are buried when you are dead and have no awareness of where your body is...

Is the motivation that it will be a nice place for the kids to visit you, or do you believe in reincarnation type deal or something else?

For us our choice of a woodland burial is for several reasons :
a sustainable zero impact upon the local environment.
a couple of trees will be planted in recognition of our woodland burial.
a far less austere place for visitors.
I was the architect introducing the concept behind woodland burials to England.