The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has made a federal law that enforces funeral directors to tell consumers up front about the funeral costs of funeral planning at their parlors, when the customers come in to start to make arrangements. Funeral directors must provide an itemized list of all their costs and services to the consumer, so that it makes it a little easier for them to make informed decisions about what is best for them.

With this law made by the FTC, it makes funeral planning and shopping much easier for consumers. Now, consumers can do more comparison shopping for different things from caskets to flowers and other things that are necessary for the funeral and burial of their loved one.

A funeral, if not planned correctly, can turn out to be one of the most expensive purchases one will make in their lifetime. That is why it is important to recognize this fact now by educating yourself. When the actual time comes when you have to begin to plan a funeral, and you find yourself in a very emotional state, you will be more prepared to make well informed and educated decisions, rather than emotional ones without thought.

Josh Slo cum, executive director of Funeral Consumers Alliance, a Vermont-based nonprofit advocacy group stated, "It doesn't matter how much you spend, it doesn't make a person any less dead. It doesn't mean you love them any more or less, and it isn't going to bring them back. Funerals should be treated like any other consumer transaction by comparing costs and services. Charges at different funeral homes in the same metropolitan area can vary by thousands of dollars, so it pays to shop around."

The law, made by the FTC was designed to ease the pressure on consumers to buy some of the services that funeral parlors will present, but that the consumer may not need or even want. When emotional over the death of a loved one, funeral directors can make anything seem important to have at the funeral and burial. They can prey on emotional people to make money. This is not right, but it gets done, so be informed.

Consumers are indeed permitted to buy caskets and other funeral or burial items in other places than the funeral parlor in which the ceremony will take place. For example, caskets can be bought either online or in places such as Wal-Mart of Costco Warehouses. Items such as these can be bought at much lower prices from these stores or online. It will make a huge difference in your final costs of the funeral if you shop around.

There is no need to feel as if you are being cheap or doing a disservice to your loved one just because you are trying to get good deals when you are funeral planning. Funeral costs can be astronomical and in today's hard economical times, anyone would understand the need to be a smart consumer, no matter what it is that you are buying.

Written by KC Kelly, Ph.D.