When its over if you haven't made arrangement to be put through a
wood chipper and spread on your garden.......
An average funeral costs roughly $8,500.00 and rising. $11,000 is not an unusual price.
If you buy (in advance of
course) a coffin from Costco its $800.00 vs $3,000.00 at point of use.
If you have it in advance (and someone buries you within 24 hrs) refrigeration is not necessary, (in many states) along with, if the mortician doesn't make you look palatable (closed coffin!) and embalming is not required its an additional $2,000 conservation.
(For my part there ain't no way I wanna go into the ground without embalming! There are too many false diagnosis of death! Embalm and they won't survive it!)
If you rent a hall ($100.00 - $300.00) or a chapel (Free to $1,000.00) will be spent.
Almost all jurisdictions require a vault (800 lbs of
concrete!) to keep the field level over the years, (ever go into a really old graveyard? All those swales are collapsed coffins!) and an excavator rental to dig the hole and lower the coffin, and swing the vault into place. $750.00 - $1500.00
If you elect to be cremated, a card board box is free! But the toasting is $300.00 and up.
A fancy urn can absorb as much of your grandchildren's inheritance as your survivors can stand, or you can have one on the shelf holding Christmas candy until its needed.
A chopper ride is the best way to spread ashes,