Any tips for how to figure out how to choose a funeral home?

Tips on Choosing a Funeral Home

A while back I was on one of the TV 'magazine' shows and was asked, after three days of shooting, "If you had only ten seconds to tell someone how to choose a funeral home, what would you say?" I responded that one should ask to use the restroom in each funeral home and check out the toilet paper. If it's cheap, single-ply grade, odds are they are cutting corners everywhere so go elsewhere.

As you might imagine, this response was widely quoted and derided in the funeral industry magazines for a while, but I was later told by one of the main players in the industry "Maybe they scoffed, but I think you single-handedly changed the industry's TP-buying habits over night!" I want that on my headstone!

The best way to choose a funeral home is to visit, chat with the staff, pick up a General Price List, then go home and compare them. There are a lot of intangibles you can't put a price on, mind, but you can get a general feel for what's available. If you don't have the time or incination to do this yourself, contact the Funeral Consumer Alliance (http://www.funerals.org/affiliates-directory) chapter nearest you. The Alliance can provide information on most funeral homes within your area.