I've seen it all now. Wal-Mart is selling coffins... Really not a joke

[freebird73717]

Okay for those that don't believe me just go to www.walmart.com and do a search for casket

I've got a relative that works for them and they told me about this. At first I thought they were joking. They swore they weren't. I just checked walmart's website and they were telling the truth.

I can just hear it now. "Honey while you are there picking up the groceries you might as well get me a casket. The doctor says I've only got a few weeks left."

I mean this is just bizarre...

Poor old Sam Walton would be rolling over in his casket right now.... excuse the pun

[gadgetguy]

We buried my Dad nearly two years ago. While discussing funeral arrangements with the funeral director we were shocked and appalled at the exorbitant amount the home was charging. The casket we purchased was similarly described as those in the ad you've posted, but the price was over 5 times as high and forced the funeral bill to well over $14,000. My Mom asked the funeral director if we could just get a simple pine box or anything that would be more reasonable and he responded that there is no other option available. If Walmart were carrying caskets at that time, we would not have hesitated to purchase one there instead of the overpriced offerings at the funeral home.

[freebird73717]

Gadgetguy my sincere condolences for the loss of your father. That is a loss that so far I've not had to endure.

I completely agree that those funeral homes prices are outrageous. My grandparents paid for their funerals up front to keep their kids from having to worry about it and the final price was close to what you paid.

Perhaps this is a good thing and it will force the FH's to offer a budget casket to compete. It just seems odd to think of casket shopping at Wally World. I'm not against the big 'W'. I just thought it was a little odd.

Honestly I've told my family that they can just bury me underneath a rock in the pasture behind my folks house. I don't want or need anything fancy.

[Noahtuck]

SWEEEEEET!!!!!

I was actually going to buy one a few years back off ebay to make into a coffee table or love seat 8)

But why is that bizarre ?

I have always heard you save literally 1000's of $$ if you buy your own casket, even directly from a manufacturer, instead of buying one through a home.

As gadgetguy
They WANT you to think there is no other option and do not want you buying even direct, but by law you do NOT have to purchase a casket from a home.
They make mad money on those from a home!!

Sorry about your dad also.
Mine passed away 10 years ago when i was 34 and we were super tight and worked side by side for most of my life up till then and it's still rough not having him around.

He always wanted to be cremated so that saved a ton of money.

[lordsmurf]

I've never understood being stuck underground in an overpriced box that saddles a family in debt. It's nothing more than a fancy table for the insect feast that lies ahead.

[Noahtuck]

I've never understood being stuck underground in an overpriced box that saddles a family in debt. It's nothing more than a fancy table for the insect feast that lies ahead.

Yep!

I have seen reports on the news where places, cities, are actually running out of room for cemeteries.
Saw one news report, i can't remember where it was, where they wanted to start sharing plots, one on top of the other, because there was no more open room because of the population/city expanding so much.

[Tearren]

There are roughly 300 Million people in the US.

There are roughly 78.2 Million Baby Boomers.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_e...ns/006105.html
(I have read estimates in the 90 Millions of Baby Boomers but can't find source.)

Average life expectancy is ~77 years old.

Barring any major break throughs in modern medicine, and not to sound morbdid but roughly 26% of our current US population is going to be dead in the next 20-30 years.

Walmart is just following a trend.

[Guest]

I'm surprised to see they can be afford-ably made in the US. I would buy one,but I'm getting the pyre.

[Guest]

There are roughly 300 Million people in the US.

There are roughly 78.2 Million Baby Boomers.
http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/releases/archives/facts_for_features_special_e...ns/006105.html
(I have read estimates in the 90 Millions of Baby Boomers but can't find source.)

Average life expectancy is ~77 years old.

Barring any major break throughs in modern medicine, and not to sound morbdid but roughly 26% of our current US population is going to be dead in the next 20-30 years.

Walmart is just following a trend.

Thats a lot of holes.

[Tearren]

Thats a lot of holes.

I heard / read some cities have run out of burial space and want to bury people 2 to a plot, 1 on top of the other.

Here is a related London article, I am certain I read of atleast 1 city in US considering this.

http://www.app.com/article/20091029/NEWS06/91029057/1004/NEWS01/Facing-space-shortages...ggests-sharing

[zzyzzx]

Thats a lot of holes.

I heard / read some cities have run out of burial space and want to bury people 2 to a plot, 1 on top of the other.

Why only two? You can dig deeper.

[ratzfatz]

~900$ for a coffin? that's cheap... is it possible to order online as european?
^^