I wounder why we have paupers graves?
For hundreds of years the poor have been buried in graves that are outside the norm.
Funerals can go from a few thousands to many times that why?
For those like me who want no religion to be party why the high costs.
We surely need a cheap but honest national brand funeral service, hopefully A crematorium.

I sympathise completely Belly. 20 years ago costs were fiercely rising in city areas.

A family member had 3 deaths within the family two months apart. There were only two sons to share the full costs given no life insurance policies, all three had retired, no superannuation. I thought at the time they should bury them on their land to save the costs however the costs of coffins also came into consideration; caught there also.

Ten years reprieve and another two family members died: again no insurance, no assets, and no superannuation. Ditto as above. One of the family members had to lie in the morgue for an extended time unfortunately, as a result of the totally unexpected high costs and in the middle of labour work that could not be stopped.

Consequently, the funeral and wake were delayed a bit. These funeral costs amongst other life long battles just about took its toll. They never had time to grieve properly as their minds were worrying about how to pay for all the funerals at that time. During the 'reprieve' an Uncle's house burnt down, he lost his business from a crooked woman who took the lot, his little house, car [all]. [A woman from overseas on a long stay Visa] He died alone in his house as a bachelor, discovered 5 days later.

Belly, apparently only half of his bad luck, a few more major things happened to him not his fault at all.

Btw: my handbag and other mourners handbags and purses stolen out of the church yard at one of those funerals: thieves read about the funeral in the paper, noted the church venue, arrived and waited until the mourners entered the church, one must have distracted or watched the funeral organisers with the hearse, then ducked and weaved in between the vehicles to see if anyone in their distress had left vehicles unlocked. Dozens of belongings stolen that day 20 years ago.

A word of advice: ensure that everyone locks their vehicle on the day because this is quite a common occurrence now in cities.

Sounds like the cry of the many. And who makes the money off them?

Thats the moral question.

TTM...........Just a thought.

TTM.

Best thing, just contribute your body to science (organ donation given first priority of course), then funeral expenses are absolute zero!

Another good option it the Tibetan system of giving the body to the birds, but I don't think it's legal here.

I doubt it would be any use giving body's to be used that way if most did it over supply and back to our problem.
Current insurance drive will only put the price up as insurance pays not family.
Can we forever put land aside for burials? ok some reildgions say burial only but why every one?
I understand a body can be cremated for about $1500 but how can a pensioner be expected to pay that.
It may fall on me, as eldest and home owner to bury some of my family.
I see no reason why spending big on my death or any one Else is needed.
Right now in hundreds of homes pensioners and such are going without so they can put money away to be buried.

Another good option it the Tibetan system of giving the body to the birds, but I don't think it's legal here.
Yuyutsu,
I could easily become legal, just involve a few $'s. Just wait till the Government starts charging land rates for graves.