The post you are reporting:
Funeral directors are discovering that their clients' thrift - basic coffins, cheese-and-cracker nibbles instead of traditional funeral luncheons, cutting down on cars, is positively killing profits. People, rather than selecting a mahogany coffin made of real mahogany may choose a poplar coffin stained with a mahogany stain, which to most observers looks the same.
It's not that people have stopped dying although there's some evidence that the death rate drops during a recession (people drive less, for example, so they have fewer accidents!)
Buying a package funeral package seems to be the easiest option for grief-stricken family members—and that's the way it's intended. Instead of scaling down to the necessities, many people buy an all-inclusive "traditional" funeral—an embalming, an ornate coffin, fancy flowers, hearses and graveside service. However, according to the Funeral Consumer's Alliance (FCA), this type of funeral is a fairly recent commercial invention—and not necessarily a good one.
When it comes in a package, it's easier to be overcharged for unnecessary expenses and there is less transparency for the charges. The FCA recommends looking for these things.
• Early on in your discussions, ask for a general price list, which outlines costs.
• Before picking out a coffin, ask for a price list, which should include cheaper variations.
• If you were told that something was required by law, you should have been given that evidence in writing.
• You should get an itemised statement of goods and services selected before the funeral so you know the total cost.
