Poor Man Survival
Self Reliance tools
for independent minded people…
ISSN 2161-5543
A Digest of Urban Survival Resources
Lower the Cost of a Cremation or
Funeral
The death of my father
brought me back to Michigan from Arizona.
Fortunately, he was among those who pre-planned his funeral and had the
insurance to pay for it. Everyone in my
family has had the foresight to plan for such events and has the insurance to
underwrite these events. Many,
especially in minority communities seem to overlook such eventualities and rely
on car washes and ‘go-fund-me’ pages for final expenses.
Funerals
have become ridiculously expensive during the past decade often burdening heirs
with unexpected expenses when they are least prepared for them. With some pre-planning there are ways to
reduce those costs and headaches.
You
can frequently lower the cost by joining a nonprofit memorial society. To find one in your state, go to Funerals.org
and locate your local affiliate of the Funeral Consumers Alliance. Visit the local affiliate site to find out
how to join – this can be done online for $35.
FCA affiliates have agreements with licensed funeral directors to
provide cremation or burial services for a predetermined maximum cost that is
almost always lower than the price paid by the general public.
In
one state, for example, a member paid $995 for direct cremation vs. the
publicly quoted rate of $2695. Contact
the FCA for help if you live a state without an FCA affiliate: AL, ALASKA, HA,
IA, MS, MT, NE, NH, NM, ND, OR, WV or WY.
Also,
don’t forget, if you are a military veteran who served honorably you are
entitled to $250 and if you paid into Social Security you may be eligible for
another $250 to help defray the cost of your funeral. A funeral director usually helps obtain these
funds for you at no additional charge.
[You will need to provide proper documentation].
Some
people donate their body to medical science via medical schools and research centers
and avoid the expense of funerals altogether simply paying for the cost of
death certificates. You can do an
internet search and make arrangements in advance with a facility of your
choosing.
NOTE: After experiencing severe heart afflictions
of my own during the past [including one two weeks ago] I have become an
advocate of families making preparations in advance for death including wills,
medical directives and other end-of-life issues with family members.
Death
and dying has become an expensive ‘business’ in our society compared to how our
ancestors often approached the issue…as some of you know I’ve been taking
course work about Native American history and it has been eye opener,
especially how much devastation the Spanish inflicted on native populations in
South, Central and North America through outright murder, enslavement, disease,
rape, etc.
Next
week we’re headed to the four-corners region of our country to explore some of
the Pueblo ruins that I missed when I attended ASU where I first started
learning about Southwestern Indians.
Special Offer for our Readers
72-hour Emergency Meal kit that's being
offered contains 16 total servings of such delicious meals as Blue Ribbon
Creamy Chicken Rice, the always-loved Granny's Homestyle Potato Soup and the
stick-to-your-ribs breakfast favorite Maple Grove Oatmeal.
This kit normally sells
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While supplies last,
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Yours for
smarter living,
Bruce ‘the
Poor Man’
Additional FREE Resources
14 of the best reports I’ve assembled on protecting your freedom…Here is the download link.
http://1drv.ms/1d9kfi
Other
notes of interest…
Living
Frugally In Suburbia
You live differently than your neighbors.
You live differently than your neighbors.
14 Frugal
Food-Rescuing Tips from Grandma
These depression-era frugal tips still work today!
These depression-era frugal tips still work today!
8
Simple Ways to Put More Money in Your Pocket
Have more money without working harder!
Have more money without working harder!
Knowing When
and How to Stockpile Groceries
Stocking up could save your grocery budget!
Stocking up could save your grocery budget!
Small homes are all the rage. But just how much does a
tiny house cost? We have the answers, along with an analysis of how much money
you can save living in a tiny home.
Credit Freezes Will Be Free as of Sept. 21st
New federal rules kick in
will help prevent ID thieves from stealing your credit info at major credit
bureaus…previously, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion all charged for this
service but under new rules now must offer this service free of charge to
consumers. Instructions on how to do
this can be found at each reporting site.
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A Smoking Frog Feature, Shallow Planet Production
1 comment:
Good stuff as always!
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