Excessive trimmings are a waste of money

Don’t let companies talk you into extra’s you don’t want and don’t need. Particularly watch out for the line, “it shows greater love/respect/taste if you spend more on this beautiful coffin”.

Realistically if the deceased wanted to be cremated in a very simple coffin, it shows greater respect to follow their wishes than to be talked into a more flashy model to keep up with the Joneses.

It is no secret that coffins and caskets are one of the easiest ways for funeral companies to boost their profits, and some of the corporations have been known to set ‘achievement targets’ for their sales staff that would embarrass a parking inspector.

There is nothing wrong with choosing a nice coffin or casket if that is what the deceased would have liked. (They may as well have the chance to take some of their hard earned with them.) But no one should be forced to go into hock for unnecessary caskets - or service booklets, service recordings, refreshments, or whatever - just because it is ‘expected’.

Don’t be railroaded. Only pay for what the deceased would have liked, and/or for what you need and can afford.