Caskets from a Third Party (i.e. not the funeral home)

[firecracker725]

Would anyone here who has purchased a casket from somewhere other than the funeral home be willing to share experience and recommendations?

 

[EMom]

We did it. In our state, funeral homes have to take caskets from outside sellers. But they do not like it and will try to get you to use theirs by telling you things like, "Ours are guaranteed to be waterproof and theirs aren't." I'm a realist and said, "As if there is any chance we are going to open the grave and test that guarantee in 10 years?" We saved a few thousand dollars. We had to cover the cost of the funeral for a relative with no money and saving that money made a huge difference. It was a lovely casket and looked as good as any in the funeral home.

 

[firecracker725]

We did it. In our state, funeral homes have to take caskets from outside sellers. But they do not like it and will try to get you to use theirs by telling you things like, "Ours are guaranteed to be waterproof and theirs aren't." I'm a realist and said, "As if there is any chance we are going to open the grave and test that guarantee in 10 years?" We saved a few thousand dollars. We had to cover the cost of the funeral for a relative with no money and saving that money made a huge difference. It was a lovely casket and looked as good as any in the funeral home.

Do you recall what company you used? I found a perfectly lovely casket for a great price, and the cheapest thing at the funeral home is more than twice that.

 

[js]

I haven't had to do this thank goodness but I have also seem them on Costco.

 

[EMom]

It was a non-chain company in a small town. One of a kind. But I think Costco, Overstock, Sam's and Walmart sell them too.

 

[lizabu]

I saw a lady on tv talking about getting one from Costco. The only thing is storing it until such time as you need it.

 

[NewRVLady]

There are some Monks in Louisiana that make a simple pine box-my neighbors Dad was a deacon in the church and requested it. not sure of details
and yes-the casket might be half the cost of a funeral! it is nuts

 

[indygirl99]

You used to be able to buy them direct from Bates in Indiana. This is what my dad did 25 years ago for my mother at the suggestion of the funeral home.

 

[Straitlover]

At Costco, they have expedited and standard shipping. If you order by 11 AM, expedited gets it to the funeral home by 5 PM the next day. Standard shipping gets it to them by 5 PM tow days later. Say you order Monday by 11 AM, expedited would have it there Tuesday by 5 PM, standard on Wednesday. As long as you're not wanting to do the funeral right away, that's plenty of time.

I considered it for my mohter last year, but I know my sister would have not liked it, so I didn't even bring it up.

 

[barkley]

I saw a lady on tv talking about getting one from Costco. The only thing is storing it until such time as you need it.

You used to be able to buy them direct from Bates in Indiana. This is what my dad did 25 years ago for my mother at the suggestion of the funeral home.

we had a bates manufacturing place near where I grew up! my brother worked there for a period of time and it always amazed me when people would buy them years ahead of time but he said it could save a small fortune down the line. I remember him saying that one of the more popular ways to 'store' them was to put them in a garage or game room to use as a bar (put on top of folding table legs)

 

[akhenaten]

But aren't there additional charges from the funeral home for the waiting period. (Not to sound totally crass...but a storage fee for the deceased)

 

[lizabu]

we had a bates manufacturing place near where I grew up! my brother worked there for a period of time and it always amazed me when people would buy them years ahead of time but he said it could save a small fortune down the line. I remember him saying that one of the more popular ways to 'store' them was to put them in a garage or game room to use as a bar (put on top of folding table legs)

Haha...or you could always sleep in it or it could be a toy box for the kids. J/k. I think the idea of waiting until you need it and having it expedited makes the most sense. That's probably what most people do.

 

[EMom]

One of my siblings was so impressed by the casket we bought and the savings that they went out and bought one for themselves. "Chris" was not in great health and probably only had another 5-ish years left and happened to own a MASSIVE garage/outbuilding. So Chris stored that sucker and saved the family a fortune.

 

[MickeySP]

When my DF was dying, lung cancer, we did some planning. He found a casket under 1000., the funeral director also did the not waterproof spiel. My DF words " what will I care, I'm dead. Worms or water, I'll take water"
He also told me if I spent more than that he would come back & haunt me

Now with my DM hitting 90, even through her dementia she said the same.

Their is a company that does next day delivery.

 

[Azrael]

I have a question. If you buy a casket now when you don't need it, where do you store it? I wouldn't even want it in my basement as it would be a reminder of what's to come. Isn't it really heavy too?

 

[tvguy]

My mom really took care of me with her planning. She left handwritten instructions. "Cheapest Casket you can get. If they take you to the right in the casket show room, go left, that's where the cheaper caskets are. It's just going in the ground, it doesn't need to be water or bug proof". I just handed the Funeral director the notes.....she said "oh my" and was most helpful. No showroom, just a binder with photos. Casket was under $1,000, but probably hundreds more than my mom would have preferred.
The real expense was transportation to the cemetery. My mom is buried with my dad in a National Cemetery (no charge for anything on that end) 120 miles from here. $350 flat fee plus $3 a mile.

 

[DawnM]

You should be able to order it when you need it. The turn around time is quick and they ship directly to the funeral home.

Just looked. Expedited shipping is available and will arrive the following day from Costco.

 

[barkley]

out of curiosity I just checked-amazon sells them as well.

 

[AlohaNow]

I once saw a photo of a wooden casket that a woodworker made for himself. He had it propped up, added some shelving, and will enjoy a lovely bookshelf until it is time!

If a funeral home anywhere in America insists that they cannot accept any outside casket, please tell them that you will be reporting them to the FTC and then walk out. (And then actually report them to the FTC, as that is illegal.)

 

[yoopermom]

I have some cousins (in their 30s) who live near Madison and want to be buried at a green cemetery (in their case www.naturalpathsanctuary.org ) for this very reason. It only accepts "natural materials". "All burials shall be made in biodegradable containers such as shrouds, blankets, bare wood caskets, urns, and cremain grade cardboard boxes. Shrouds, blankets or drapes are preferred because they require less disruption of the root systems where the burial takes place. " (One is related, by marriage, to a Mennonite family, and they've already arranged to get what is basically just a wooden box from them.)

That may be taking it to a bit of an extreme for some people, but seems to be a compromise between scattering ashes and having a full blown cemetery burial.

Terri