cremation

Death isn't cheap: According to recent studies, the average cost of a traditional funeral is almost $8,000. So in America, internment usually comes down to a choice between an expensive burial and a less costly cremation. But there are other options that you might not have considered.

There's an old saying about death being a recession-proof business. After all, come hell or high water (or maybe because of them), somebody's going to die. But the nation's cemeteries are facing a tough row to hoe as recession-weary consumers pare down burial plans and escalating real-estate prices...

As if playing host annually to Devil's Night each October weren't enough, Detroit has another ghoulish problem on its hands as bodies pile up in the county morgue. With so many families out of work and the city's coffers strapped, no one can afford to bury the 67 bodies that have accumulated at the...

While feelings are mixed on whether or not the U.S. is recovering or still at risk are mixed, at least we can be reassured by the reliability of death and taxes. The latter, of course, is being made more certain by IRS efforts to catch tax-dodgers, while the former needs no help. Unfortunately, the...

As if California's economy wasn't dead enough, the Los Angeles Times is reporting that the Los Angeles County Coroner's office is getting as crowded as Disneyland on Seniors Day. With families struggling to meet their bills, fewer have the money necessary to pay for the burial of their loved (or at...

A few months ago, I wrote a series of posts on budget funerals, noting that options such as cremation, natural funerals and burial at sea could save a grieving family a lot of money. At the time, my main interest was showing that there are options outside the realm of expensive, traditional...

After I wrote yesterday's post on alternative choices for burial vessels, it occurred to me that I wasn't really considering all the other options that are out there. For most people, funeral planning comes down to a choice between cremation and burial; burial is the more traditional choice, while...