Cost of funeral

olestoepoke

salmocab wrote: »

Yes I was being facetious I thought that was obvious and didn’t need pointing out. I’m sceptical that you have organised payment and delivery of your coffin and have organised someone to collect your body put it in the box and transport it to Wexford for 350 euro. Maybe you have using mates or whatever but it sounds a bit cheap. The rest of the funeral sounds grand, personally I don’t care where I end up as I’ll be dead and very uninterested at that stage.

Yeah thats the point, you won't care and me personally I;'d rather my family had a nice holiday with the money that is saved. Funeral directors have you over a barrel, what can you do? not bury your loved one. My mother in law died 5 years ago and I watch my wife and her sisters grieve and bemoan if they cant get to the grave every Sunday, Now I appreciate we all have our own personal ways of grieving but I want my family to get on with their lives and visit me once or twice a year. The pictures of the natural burial grounds look beautiful, a really nice place to visit. Regarding transport, it doesn't matter put me in the boot of the car if you have to lol. No to be serious I have lots of family members that have transport and if someone didn't I'm sure its easy enough to pay someone. I do not believe in any organised religion so have no problem going without a priest, in face will be happier if one weren't around. And as of 2013 it is legal to bury a person without a coffin. You can also rent a coffin or buy one on amazon for a fraction of the price that the funeral directors charge. I will dies with a smile knowing they aren't ripping my family off when I'm gone.

splinter65

olestoepoke wrote: »

There will be no priest present at any stage so no need to pay €200. I am not religious.

My point was that it’s not correct to appoint anymore then a couple of 100 euro out of the entire cost of the funeral/wake to the religious aspect of it. People spend more on flowers, so why not mention the florist instead of the priest?

olestoepoke

splinter65 wrote: »

My point was that it’s not correct to appoint anymore then a couple of 100 euro out of the entire cost of the funeral/wake to the religious aspect of it. People spend more on flowers, so why not mention the florist instead of the priest?

Oh ok, yeh thats personal preference, the natural burial grounds guys will plant a tree for an extra cost which I personally think is a lot nicer than flowers. And the Catholic Church charges €400 now, massive increase. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/dublin-church-funeral-fees-to-rise-by-23-from-january-1.4065173

Rows Grower

Having signed up to WhatsApp a month ago, I've discovered and I've decided this is the way I want to go, I'll drop a few grand on this when the time is right if I have a bit of notice...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EroOICwfD3g

olestoepoke

Rows Grower wrote: »

Having signed up to WhatsApp a month ago, I've discovered and I've decided this is the way I want to go, I'll drop a few grand on this when the time is right if I have a bit of notice...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EroOICwfD3g

love it ha ha ha

markc1184

markc1184 wrote: »

My mothers funeral was last October in Drogheda, plot already owned and previously used. For the undertakers fees, coffin and accessories, gravedigger, church fees, musician, the afters and I'm sure I'm missing out on some, there was a few €'s change out of €6k.

Sorry about the bad news there. Hope you're keeping well.



Can I ask which undertaker that was? I presume Townley?

markc1184

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Sorry about the bad news there. Hope you're keeping well.



Can I ask which undertaker that was? I presume Townley?

All good thanks, KKV. Yeah it was Townleys we used.

maestroamado

olestoepoke wrote: »

Natural burial grounds in Wexford cost around 950 for the plot, 200 for the hole to be dug and a cheap biodegradable cardboard coffin. Thats me in the hole for less than 1,500. Funerals are a rip off, they take advantage of a really tough time for a lot of people. I am not religious and would rather my family kept the 6k difference so it's down to wexford for me in the back of a van.

I'd love to meet you "way up yonder" but the undertaker/priest are part of the game.

"and he's buying a stairway to heaven"

Tork

hayser wrote: »

I'm so sorry for your loss. A lot of people might not realise but if a loved one was a member of a credit union or part of a union during their working years, they may be entitled to a death benefit. It can really help at times like these.

This is definitely worth checking out, though some of the credit unions seem to be pulling back from this. Our local one has watered theirs down considerably.

There can be a bit of help in certain circumstances https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/death_related_benefits/benefits_and_entitlements_following_a_death.html but it's not going to help most people.

splinter65

Tork wrote: »

This is definitely worth checking out, though some of the credit unions seem to be pulling back from this. Our local one has watered theirs down considerably.

There can be a bit of help in certain circumstances https://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/social_welfare/social_welfare_payments/death_related_benefits/benefits_and_entitlements_following_a_death.html but it's not going to help most people.

Ours never did this.

splinter65

olestoepoke wrote: »

Oh ok, yeh thats personal preference, the natural burial grounds guys will plant a tree for an extra cost which I personally think is a lot nicer than flowers. And the Catholic Church charges €400 now, massive increase. https://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/religion-and-beliefs/dublin-church-funeral-fees-to-rise-by-23-from-january-1.4065173

Thats in Dublin where costs are much higher.
Once again you should price a celebrant and a function venue and see if you can get both for €400? I seriously doubt it.
Our cathedral asks for €250.

splinter65

splinter65 wrote: »

In small town Ireland in the circumstances you describe...

Very helpful reply, thanks a lot, man. Can I ask, in terms of caskets and such, how does it work? Do they try to up-sell you, or do they leave a booklet with you (assuming they work from a brochure and not a viewing room) and you give them a shout and let them know? Or is it a 'need to know now, hurry it up, you know they would have wanted the best' kind of pressure sales pitch?



(or is that just one of those things that varies from place to place?)

olestoepoke

splinter65 wrote: »

Thats in Dublin where costs are much higher.
Once again you should price a celebrant and a function venue and see if you can get both for €400? I seriously doubt it.
Our cathedral asks for €250.

Wont be giving the church a penny on principle. I'm a non-believer so no need for such extravagance.

maestroamado

splinter65 wrote: »

In small town Ireland in the circumstances you describe the Gardaí will indeed recommend undertakers to you and if you’re too upset they will ring one for you who will then pitch up and take over and lead you through the options available to you.
They will organise everything for you according to your wishes within reason. You will be asked to pick a coffin/casket, sometimes from a brochure sometimes in an viewing room. Somethings you ask for might not be possible. For example if you choose a Catholic or other religious funeral then you will have to adhere to the conditions imposed therein. This can cause issues. The funeral mass is a public event in normal times. You won’t have exclusive use of the church. The liturgy of the mass cannot be usurped by your wishes.
In other words your loved ones funeral just happens to be part of the mass. You can’t take away any bits of the mass or add in any bits that wouldn’t be appropriate.
This includes music. The priest can and will veto songs or performances he considers inappropriate during the mass.
Don’t forget you can have these performances stories poems or songs to your hearts content either at home in the funeral home or in the graveyard.

You don’t have to organise anything to do with the grave digging/opening/booking crematorium as the undertaker will do all that.
The undertaker will transport your loved one to and from the PM if there is one.
You might be asked to pick out clothes for your loved one to be buried in.
The undertaker will organise flowers but you can get your own or have none if you like.

I think the thread mentioned cost?
Surely rural Ireland needs money... How much all this cost?
Thanks and God Bless you prob not enough...

splinter65

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Very helpful reply, thanks a lot, man. Can I ask, in terms of caskets and such, how does it work? Do they try to up-sell you, or do they leave a booklet with you (assuming they work from a brochure and not a viewing room) and you give them a shout and let them know? Or is it a 'need to know now, hurry it up, you know they would have wanted the best' kind of pressure sales pitch?



(or is that just one of those things that varies from place to place?)

Every undertaker has a cheapo coffin a mid priced and a deluxe top of the range model. You’ll be too embarrassed to pick the cheap one and your sister who’s on the dole for 30 years will want the deluxe one even though she’ll plead poverty when the bill arrives so you’ll pick the middle of the road one.

splinter65

olestoepoke wrote: »

Wont be giving the church a penny on principle. I'm a non-believer so no need for such extravagance.

You don’t have to have the church at all. Most people still do mostly because they want there to be a structure to the proceedings surrounding the funeral of their loved one and in Ireland a church centred ceremony provides that kind of purpose. €250 for the amount of attention and time the family get is certainly not an extravagance.

olestoepoke

splinter65 wrote: »

You don’t have to have the church at all. Most people still do mostly because they want there to be a structure to the proceedings surrounding the funeral of their loved one and in Ireland a church centred ceremony provides that kind of purpose. €250 for the amount of attention and time the family get is certainly not an extravagance.

I am an atheist so why would I pay for a priest or a church?

olestoepoke

olestoepoke wrote: »

I am an atheist so why would I pay for a priest or a church?

I'm atheist, too. However, if I end up using their buildings or services, I would pay for the use of them.

olestoepoke

Deleted User wrote: »

I'm atheist, too. However, if I end up using their buildings or services, I would pay for the use of them.

Why would you need to use any buildings except you own living room?

splinter65

olestoepoke wrote: »

I am an atheist so why would I pay for a priest or a church?

You classed the priest as an “extravagance” in an earlier post. You brought religion into the thread. The way some atheists are inclined to do....
I’ve been making the argument that he’s not an extravagance. No one is suggesting that you would want a priest. You’ve told us 3 or 4 times now that you’re an atheist, the way some atheists are inclined to do.....

splinter65

olestoepoke wrote: »

Why would you need to use any buildings except you own living room?

If all the friends, family, colleagues and neighbours that would wish to offer your loved ones comfort on the occasion of your death can fit in your sitting room then that’ll be fine.

olestoepoke

splinter65 wrote: »

You classed the priest as an “extravagance” in an earlier post. You brought religion into the thread. The way some atheists are inclined to do....
I’ve been making the argument that he’s not an extravagance. No one is suggesting that you would want a priest. You’ve told us 3 or 4 times now that you’re an atheist, the way some atheists are inclined to do.....

Whether or not you think €400 is an extravagance is subjective. I live in Dublin so that's what it costs on average. I brought religion into this because religion has a large part to play in most funerals and at €400+ is considerable part of the costs. I said that I was an athesist once and implied that I was a non-believer to make the point that I personally would have no need for a priest but you can exaggerate that a little to suit your narrative the way some people like you are inclined to do.....

Cupatae

costacorta wrote: »

And if you need to buy a grave add another €1000 min to €1800 on top of that plus I see a lot of funerals nowadays come with being invited back fora meal afterwards so that would bring funeral bill to 15k ..

15 grand for a funeral? fire me in a ditch and throw a few shovels over me when im done anyway thats ridiculous.

Spanish Eyes

Flowers are gone now, it's just family flowers only mostly now.

Anyway, the undertakers are one of the few businesses that are surviving, sorry for the pun.

splinter65

olestoepoke wrote: »

Whether or not you think €400 is an extravagance is subjective. I live in Dublin so that's what it costs on average. I brought religion into this because religion has a large part to play in most funerals and at €400+ is considerable part of the costs. I said that I was an athesist once and implied that I was a non-believer to make the point that I personally would have no need for a priest but you can exaggerate that a little to suit your narrative the way some people like you are inclined to do.....

Yes. Without the actual building that is the church to have the gathering in, and without the priest to officiate over the proceedings, most people would have to book a venue to gather mourners in, and engage a celebrant to be MC.
Neither of these things are cheap and will certainly come to much more then €400 yet the church can provide both for that.
A huge part of the whole proceeding, yet accounts only for less then 20% of the entire cost.

salmocab

Cupatae wrote: »

15 grand for a funeral? fire me in a ditch and throw a few shovels over me when im done anyway thats ridiculous.

It’s like weddings to be fair, lots of extras if you want but the person is just as dead at the end.
Just like weddings though who is anyone else to judge how much was spent.

Addle

A rural funeral didn’t cost us that much, even going for a meal after and picking a relatively expensive coffin (not a casket).
OT, but Irish funerals are about the bereaved, not the deceased. Personally, and I’m not religious, I got a lot of relief out of sharing my grief and receiving the respects of many. Can’t put a price on that.

Addle

Addle wrote: »

How did you arrange that license?

olestoepoke wrote: »

What licence?

I wasn’t aware of that type of graveyard.
I like it, but it is more expensive than a double plot in my home (country) graveyard.

Cupatae

salmocab wrote: »

It’s like weddings to be fair, lots of extras if you want but the person is just as dead at the end.
Just like weddings though who is anyone else to judge how much was spent.

Yeah except you dont have to get married. You have to die, im not judging.. as much as i know about em is what i read in this thread thank god.. But if 15k is the average.. id imagine that most would struggle.

AulWan

We have made advance funeral arrangements for my parents, and for a one day funeral, with one car, including opening of the grave (already owned) was approx €6600. This is in Dublin. This plan was made 3 years ago, so possibly add a bit onto that now.

Its all the little costs that add up, like the charges for opening a grave etc.

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