The language we use creates our world. Studies have shown that the more negative words we use, the more negativity we see around us. Alternatively, the more positivity we include into our lives in the way we talk and think, the more positivity we will see in the world around us. That being said, it’s hard to be positive when …
By Gail Rubin, CT Making funeral arrangements under the duress of grief is akin to buying a car in one afternoon without research because the car you’ve been driving for years suddenly dies. Buyer’s remorse can set in as soon as you drive off the lot and wonder if you paid too much. When you shop around before someone dies, …
Read More “Save an Arm & a Leg: Pre-Plan to Reduce Funeral Costs”
By Gail Rubin The New York Times and the Huffington Post in Canada just ran separate articles on pre-need funeral planning. I hope this prompts more people to take action and actually plan ahead for this inevitable life cycle event. Smarter Living (and Dying!) The New York Times Smarter Living section ran Want to Plan for Your Death and Funeral? Here’s How on February 20, …
Read More “Pre-Need Funeral Planning in the News: What You Need to Know the Most”
By Gail Rubin Embalming is one of the “ickier” aspects of funerals that keep people from considering funeral planning in advance. That’s a shame, because no state laws require embalming. It comes down to the question of viewing. The advent of embalming, and its use during the Civil War, changed the course of funeral practice in the United States. It …
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By Gail Rubin Funerals are a huge expense in a family budget and advance planning can help reduce costs. When you find out how expensive end-of-life events can be, it’s a big motivator to save where you can. Today a $6,000 funeral, if you can get it, is a bargain. There are many ways to cut costs without looking cheap. …
By Gail Rubin In America, death is often regarded as the classic Monty Python routine about the Spanish Inquisition. “Nobody expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapons are fear, surprise, and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope.” Despite the fact that humans have a 100% mortality rate, we don’t expect to die. If you don’t expect to die, you’re …
Read More “Funeral Planning For Those Who Don’t Plan to Die”
Announcing the death of a loved one to the community is not a new idea. In fact, small announcements have been made in America since the 16th century. It wasn’t until the 1800’s though that newspapers began reporting longer, more traditional obituaries that laid the groundwork for this important practice today. Even though we’ve been writing and publishing such announcements …
Getting your mind off of grief is difficult. What many don’t realize is that when it comes to grief and missing a loved one, there is no ‘getting over it’. Life must move on after a loss, and recovery is a matter of learning how to live again in some cases. And regardless if it’s been a couple of weeks …
Obituaries honor loved one’s who are no longer with us. While they may serve as an announcement and as a way to get out the details of any upcoming services, they can be so much more than that. For example, eternalobits allows you and family members to upload photos, videos, and memories directly onto the obituary, creating a page that …
