I was amazed to hear of people queuing up at Melbourne General Cemetery to secure a very rare release of burial plots. I was then stunned people were willing to pay over $200,000 for the privilege.
To put it bluntly, what a bloody waste of money.
I have what I suppose are fairly non-traditional views about what I want to happen to me when I die. Strictly no funeral, no burial – just cremate me and scatter my ashes. If anyone would like to get together and have a couple of drinks to say goodbye then I’m happy to leave some money behind. If people want to remember me then they shouldn’t need a bit of rock or a plaque to go to to do that. I’d me much happier if they passed by a place we went together and had a smile..
Imagine if that $200,000 was put towards a scholarship for needy kids, or donated to a charity, the good it could it do. Instead you’ve bought a little block of land that in 20 or 30 years time people will walk past and wonder who you were. I guess death is a big business these days, but one I will contribute to as little as I can.
I will admit to being one of those people who do enjoy walking around cemeteries, looking at bits of stone and wondering who people were. But yes, that much for a hole in the ground is obscene.
I agree with Ren. I like looking at headstones in a graveyard too, and wondering, but moreso the 100 year old tombstones.
I don’t see the point in spending crazy amounts for plots, coffins, celebrant, etc. Looks like we’ll both be cremated and scattered. We need to put that in a will or something.
Cremate me, scatter in a place you *will* visit (even if that is the local supermarket car park), think of me every once in a while, and keep whatever you’d have spent on a funeral for your or the kids needs. Bloody ridiculous to do anything else.