This text was adapted from an article by Todd Van Beck that originally appeared in the Summer 2013 issue of the Dodge Magazine. This is some great information whereby Mr. Van Beck dispels some of the most common myths surrounding funerals.
Myth #1: Funerals are too expensive
Facts:
·
It takes about 136 individual steps to
complete one average adult funeral
·
The average funeral home charge is about
$7,500
·
Cost analysis: based on $7,500 overall
cost, each service to the client comes out to be $55 per service
·
The average American (this does not
include untimely deaths) lives an average of 75 years
·
Living 75 years equates to living 27,375
days
·
This means the average 75 year old whose
funeral costs $7,500 has spent about 27¢ per day for their own funeral.
Myth #2: A funeral is the third greatest expense in
life after buying a house or a car
Facts:
·
Ask anyone this question: “Have you ever
remodeled your bathroom or kitchen?”
·
Ask anyone this question: “Do you have
children in college?”
·
Ask anyone this question: “Did you pay
for your daughter’s wedding?” (This question is particularly sobering when
viewed in the light that the average wedding now costs $28,400 and the divorce
rate is around 52%. One would have better chances of success in Las Vegas.)
Myth #3: If
we keep burying people at this rate the entire United States will become a
cemetery
Facts:
·
The world’s population is approximately
5 billion people
·
One thousand people can be buried in one
acre of land; each in a single grave space
·
If everyone in the world died at the
exact same time, the entire world’s population could be buried on 7,812.5
square miles of land, which is an area just a little smaller than the state of Massachusetts
Myth #4: Caskets are very expensive
Facts:
·
When Abraham Lincoln died in 1865, his
casket cost $1,500. It was made of solid walnut; lead-lined, cloth covered and
was one of the finest burial receptacles made.
·
Allowing for inflation at a 5% rate,
President Lincoln’s casket would cost $2,480,625 today
·
In today’s dollars, casket prices are
not nearly as expensive as they were in Lincoln’s day
·
Funeral professionals offer a wide range
of caskets to fit any budget. The choice is up to the consumer.
