'Till Death Do We Budget

Angel of Grief variation with long hair by AmyTheSpiritSeeker

This isn't going to be one of my more cheerful posts, but it's necessary for me to get some of my grief out and like it or not it's essential that we each face the inevitable.

One of my closest friends passed away last week in a tragic accident. This is not the place for graphic detail but suffice it to say that death takes a tremendous toll emotionally, spiritually and financially. One person's death can impact so many people, for better or worse, and it is with a heavy heart that I resign myself to the fact that one day it will be my turn.

It seems like the two industries which have continued to see extravagant growth are the wedding industry and the funeral industry. Both groups scream, "Don't you want the best on this most important day?" Personally, I do want the best... but what's best for me is not the industry standard. When we got married, we opted for an awesome wedding and week long honeymoon that fell within a budget we could afford on our own, without loans or credit cards. And as I contemplate what I hope my celebration of life would be, I think I'll keep that same mindset.

I was reading a blog posting called Frugal Funerals: How Families Are Cutting Costs, and it really got me to thinking about how excessive death can be. In my day-to-day life I drive around in a mostly reliable car with a low sticker value. I live in a modest house, on a middle class street, and although our monthly budget does include a life insurance policy, I don't want all of that money going to sprays of flowers or a $10,000 casket.

Probably the most important part of all of this frugal funeral planning is the will. It's hard to think about what will happen to all of your belongings and assets after you're gone, and maybe some people don't care. I, however, at least want to make sure someone who I trust in life is handling things once I'm gone.

Here are some interesting links I've found on budget burials:

• Cardboard Caskets (eco-friendly and budget friendly)
• The Last RIP-Off: Planning a Frugal Funeral
• Bringing End Of Life Care Back Home