1. PLAN FOR THE INEVITABLE! Pre-arranged funerals can greatly reduce the cost of your emotions when the time finally comes to handle the death of a friend or loved one. But be smart about what you're buying up-front...don't let salesmen get the best of you because--after all--their job is to sell you services. And read the fine print carefully: In many cases you might only receive as much as 90% of the plan value refunded (you don't think the salesman will be around to give back his/her commission, do you?). And if you move to another city you might be out of luck if you try to transfer the policy to another funeral home/cemetery. Beware and read closely the paperwork first. Instead of buying a "pre-need" funeral policy, consider going to your banks and opening what's called a Totten Trust (also known as a "pay upon death" or "in trust for" account. It's not really a trust, but a special bank account payable at the time of death to whomever you designate. Upon death, that person withdraws the funds for funeral expenses.

2. DON'T GET SUCKERED IN TO BUYING SERVICES YOU REALLY DON'T NEED! Open casket "viewing" is another way for the cemetery industry to get into your pocketbook.

Embalming's one of the most misunderstood and unnecessary services rendered by the industry, as are expensive caskets. (Don't waste your money on an expensive casket...if anything consider buying a "low-end" model and then if you're really determined to "preserve" the body, place the casket inside of a vault for burial. Remember, embalming and the use of sealed caskets/vaults only slow down the decomposition process...it'll never eliminate it.)

Another rip-off upsell they'll try to hit you with: Specially "sealed" caskets...with a rubber gasket that runs around the entire lid (like the inside of your car door). The average extra cost to the consumer? About $300 - $400. Their cost? For a lousy piece of rubber!!! Couldn't be more than $2. Is it worth it? C'mon! You're putting this thing into the ground forever. That's a long time. If anything, the rubber gasket will delay the inevitable. In other words, don't waste your money. (Send it to me instead and I'll send you a nice card for $300!)

Consider cremation! It's much more affordable...the cost of the cremations is almost always under $900 [even less if you belong to an organization like the Funeral Consumers Alliance of North Texas]...and urns to hold the cremains sell anywhere from $75 - $350 if you want to keep your loved one around. Otherwise, the crematory will provide the cremains in a box if you wish to have the ashes "scattered" in the ocean, lake or other place of significance.

3. NEVER DEAL WITH A FUNERAL OR CEMETERY REPRESENTATIVE BY YOURSELF! ALWAYS have someone else there with you, preferably a friend...someone that's not as emotionally attached as you/your family may be.

4. PROVIDE YOUR OWN CASKET! The Federal Trade Commission has passed rules that make it possible for families to provide the casket to the funeral parlor/cemetery instead of forcing the consumer to purchase it from the funeral home or cemetery. And since the average mark-up on a casket can run anywhere from 300% - 500%...this is a tremendous money saving opportunity for consumers.

And just in case they try to pull a fast one of you: The cemetery must accept delivery of the casket if you're providing it yourself; and don't let 'em charge you extra fees [think of a restaurant charging a "corkage" fee if you bring your own bottle] if you bring your own casket, headstones or gravemarkers. Wrong! That's illegal...a violation of federal law .

5. PLACE THE OBITUARY YOURSELF. Really!!! Many funeral homes will charge you as much as 3 times that actual cost of placing an obituary.

6. ASK THE FUNERAL HOME FOR A PRICE LIST! It's an FTC rule that every home provide you with a price list upon request; be sure compare pricing of funeral homes owned by separate companies...with the number of homes being purchased by major corporations, it's important to get fair price comparisons.

7. DON'T EVER TURN THE FUNERAL HOME LOOSE WITH YOUR LOVED ONE'S BURIAL INSURANCE POLICY: Many consumers have funeral or burial insurance policies. Many of these policies come in $5,000 and $10,000 face values and some folks have made the mistake of turning the proceeds over to the funeral home to spend. Don't worry, they'll spend it alright...they'll spend all of it! Come on...use your head. You make an auto mechanic give you a written estimate before they start working on your car. Make the funeral home just as accountable...and don't tell them how much insurance (of any kind) that you have, or they just might try to help you spend all of it.

8. SPEND MORE ON THE HEADSTONE/GRAVE MARKER THAN ON THE CASKET: Let's face it, the casket goes underground or in a mausoleum, but the marker will be visible forever.