R & R; Repurpose and Recycle

There Really is a Santa Claus

2009-11-03T13:56:00Z

Hubby is a professional real bearded Santa. This last weekend we went to the Mall of America for a MN Santa Kick-Off Party. There were 126 real bearded Santa’s in attendance. The largest real bearded Santa party ever held in Minnesota . '' There are 8 Santa Oaths that are agreed to and signed. In a little girl who was 4 or 5 years old I saw oath #7 come to life. '' “ I promise to use "my" powers to create happiness, spread love and make fantasies come to life in the true...(read more)

It's Disgusting but Not Surprising

2009-07-18T14:25:00Z

Have you ever heard the old saying “You can only be taken advantage of if you allow it to happen”? Well, it’s happening again. '' The latest despicable story in the news is about a historic cemetery in Illinois where five suspected cemetery workers methodically watched which grave sites weren’t regularly visited. They would dig up that grave, discard the remains of the deceased, resell the grave site and pocket the money. This went on four years before someone blew the whistle on these disgusting...(read more)

Funeral Homes: Lost Leaders and Misinformation Part 2

2009-06-26T01:44:00Z

As a woodworking/furniture refinishing shop we make and restore all kinds of boxes. Doll and toy boxes, jewelry boxes, as well as kitchen and bathroom cabinetry (also a box!) It wasn’t too far of a stretch to make caskets (also a box!) for humans and animals. Because we manufacture our own *boxes* we control the expense which directly affects your wallet. Our “simple pine box” sells for only $1500 and we offer DIY casket kits starting at $599. It was an amazing revelation that funeral homes starting seeing our small mom&pop woodworking shop as competition.

'''''''

Misinformation – What some of our customers have been told by a funeral director so the funeral home gets the sale and up sells the consumer (YOU!):

Sealing the casket with this gasket will stop moisture and decay.” You may have to pay a bit more for this emotional assurance from the funeral home but most funeral directors pull the gaskets off before the burial so that the casket won’t explode during the decaying process. And Federal Law clearly states that a funeral home can’t guarantee or imply that a casket or vault won’t seep or leak. This of course rates right up there with the upgraded vault that won’t leak or seep moisture versus the cheaper vault that will leak.

If you don’t spend all of the insurance policy on the funeral it will have to go back to the government.” What you are not being told is that the money can be spent for other funeral expenses such as donating money to the church or other facility that held the funeral.

Providing candles, dvd’s of pictures and the funeral will give you a lasting tribute of your deceased loved one.” Selling these trinkets at the funeral maybe more memorable because the funeral home kept all of the proceeds from these sales and the family still had to pay the funeral home $15,000 for the funeral. “We were told of a family that didn’t know the funeral home had created these trinkets before the funeral.

In 4/09 a funeral home director blogged me “when part of our profit is built in to the casket and people like you (meaning other casket makers) try to take it then we have to figure out ways to maintain our profits for the large buildings and overhead.” Do you hear what she was saying? Because the consumer is choosing to not pay the funeral homes thousands upon thousands for a funeral, the funeral home has to find other ways to maintain their profit. That means charging YOU more. And she went on to say “the profession is forced to take a look at other ways of maintaining profits and it has allowed a lot of unethical people in to the profession. Once these companies get in to the profession and then realize that it is not as profitable as perceived then they start doing unethical things that scars the profession as a whole.” Again, do you hear what she is admitting? The funeral profession is willingly plotting to scam you. http://www.funerals.org/newsandalerts/consumer-alerts/500-2009ftcsweeps

There are wonderful ethical businesses that will provide a service for you and your family that you will forever be thankful for. But be careful, there are more out that that will take advantage and choose to break the law to scam you out of your money.

http://www.asimplepinebox.com

Funeral Homes: Lost Leaders and Misinformation Part 1

2009-06-21T18:59:00Z

Lost Leader - What some of our customers have been told by a funeral director so the funeral home gets the sale and up sells the consumer (YOU!):

“The cheapest casket we offer is usually used by the indigent.” What is really being said is “even though you are – retired, on government assistance, welfare, disability, frugally minded, etc. – you need to spend more money”. Consider this, a $1500 (or less) casket will do exactly the same thing that a $5,000 (or more) casket will do. It gets buried.

“The cheapest vault will leak moisture. This more expensive vault we can guarantee won’t leak.” What is really being said is “we have larger profit built into this more expensive vault.” It is probably the same vault as the cheaper one but you feel better about burying your loved one with a guarantee. It is against Federal Law for a funeral home to offer or imply any guarantee that a vault or casket won’t leak. Also, vaults are not required by law in any state.

“There is only $12,000 in a prepaid account that was established 20 years ago. With the cost of inflation we need $5,000 to $7,000 more to bury your mom”. What is really being said is “you need to give me more money because the lease payment is coming due on my condo in the Bahamas.” You don’t have to spend $15,000 to have a perfectly wonderful funeral!

“There is $20,000 prepaid insurance policy and the funeral will cost only $15,000. You have extra money to buy a bigger headstone or a nicer casket.” What is really being said is “spend all the money here or we have to give it back to you (or your family)”. Did you know that you can make changes to a prepaid/preplanned policy at any time including which funeral home you will use? Did you know are not legally required to use a funeral home to plan and conduct a funeral?

“We have never worked with those companies’ caskets before and not sure how to use it.” What is really being said is “we are too lazy to use something other than what we are used to using and/or spend the money here”. Federal Law was established to make it easier for you to choose only those goods and services you want or need and to pay only for those you select, whether you are making arrangements pre need or at need.
http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/products/pro19.pdf

“We don’t know if the casket will stay intact during transportation.” “The handles will fall off or the bottom will break.” “The casket is too small and the deceased won’t fit in the casket.” What is really being said is “buy what we have in stock, have already paid for and are used to using”. A funeral director told one of our customers that their loved one had 30” shoulders and wouldn’t fit in a standard casket, he needed an oversized casket. Personally, I have never known someone with 30” shoulders. An average sized person is 19” to 22” across the shoulder. This just sounded like a good reason to up sell to a more expensive casket.

""Come back soon for Part 2 of Funeral Homes: Lost Leaders and Misinformation.

http://www.asimplepinebox.com

Furniture with Individuality

2009-06-17T01:30:00Z

Each piece of furniture that comes into our shop seems to have its own individual qualities. Sometimes (like your pet) it matches their owner. ""The 25 year old dining chairs created problem after problem each step of the way and were quickly coined “cranky”. The stripping process proved complicated and ultra time consuming because of the original finish. The chairs continued to fall apart throughout the stripping process and needed extensive repairs before moving to the next step. When the wood was finally cleaned of its original finish, the wood was blotchy. Sanding and staining caused additional problems with consistent coloring from chair to chair. These cranky chairs started out to be a job that shouldn’t have taken more than a week to complete, it took longer.
""
Recently a 100+ year old rocker came in our shop. It was immediately nicknamed “The Grandpa Chair” because of the age and condition of the rocker and it was going to be a surprise birthday present for grandpa. The rocker had been stored in the garage, been damaged by a car and came to us in several pieces. As the rocker was cleaned and repaired it became very obvious this chair deeply desired to continue to live. This old oak rocker was made in the day when quality was built in each rocker. When the upholstery was complete it became the favorite chair to sink in to and relax. All it needed was a footstool to prop your feet and relax while watching TV. He would have looked great in my own living room and although we were pleased to give him back to his own family, we were sad to see him go. ""

Take a look at great before and after pictures at this link. http://sugarcreekwoodworking.com/gallery.aspx

Chicken Nuggets and The Funeral Rule

2009-06-03T11:22:00Z

Lately, there have been stories in the news of unscrupulous funeral home directors performing unbelievable deeds at the expense of their customers. A story of a funeral director losing his business which was eventually sold at a tax sale auction. When the new owners came in, bodies left in the funeral home since 2006 were discovered. The “ex” funeral director refused to provide funeral home records to enable the coroner to identify the bodies.

http://www.counton2.com/cbd/news/national/article/decomposing_bodies_found_in_abandoned_indiana_funeral_home/27446/#fragment-1

A story from South Carolina of a funeral director who didn’t tell the family the legs of a 6’7” man were cut off so that he would fit in a casket.

http://www.counton2.com/cbd/news/state_regional/article/south_carolina_funeral_home_closed_after_dismembering_corpse_to_fit_casket/29600/

These are horrible stories that cast a darker light on an industry that already has a black eye simply because of the type of service it provides and the extreme expense of that service. Knowing and understanding your consumer rights under the Federal Law will help protect you from being used by unethical business owners.

The moment you contact a funeral home, according to The Funeral Rule there are certain steps that must be followed by the funeral home. Itemized price lists for services and products must be provided before actually showing the products. For example, it’s against Federal Law for caskets to be shown before you know how much it’s going to cost. You have the right to choose the goods and services you want. You have the right to bring your own chicken nuggets and have them prepared by the restaurant.

Informing yourself of the laws in your state will help determine which funeral services and products you must buy and help prevent emotional overspending. For example, embalming is rarely required by law but it is necessary at certain times. You may not have to buy that service. Vaults are not required by law anywhere in the US. Know your rights. You can read more at this link about your consumer rights under Federal Law. http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/pubs/consumer/products/pro26.pdf ""

"Are you gonna bring your own chicken nuggets?"

http://www.asimplepinebox.com

An Odd Fascination with Reluctance to Embrace

2009-05-05T11:12:00Z

An Odd Fascination:

As a woodworking shop we make all kinds of boxes. Jewelry boxes, toy and storage boxes, boxes for kitchen and bathroom cabinetry. When my mom was dying the decision to make her casket felt right. It was a heartfelt tangible way to say good-bye and help minimize the funeral cost.

It’s an odd fascination. People have driven many miles, many hours to see our caskets. We are asked to bring our hand crafted wood items to trade shows, auctions and art fairs. A casket is something people don’t always realize they can go out and buy. It’s a convenient assumption only funeral homes can provide funeral products. An assumption the funeral industry encourages.

Read the laws, your consumer rights are protected by Federal Law so that you don’t get taken advantage of. Spend your money wisely, help put a kid through college, donate to your favorite charity or church, have a party to celebrate the life of your loved one! Don’t bury your money in the ground buying expensive caskets and vaults. http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/shop/funeral.shtm

When a neighbor discovered we made caskets, we were asked to make a casket for their family member. They came to us and said, “my dad logged these trees from the family homestead, will you make grandma’s casket with this lumber?”

It’s an odd fascination. Back in the day, it was common for the furniture store owner to be the undertaker. Yep, the furniture maker (your local woodworker) also made caskets.

The Reluctance to Embrace:

As a woodworking shop, we manufacture our own product which keeps your cost of a casket or urn at a very manageable price. Unless your family has discussed or preplanned the funeral, the idea of shopping around for funeral products can be a hard concept for many to grasp.

Reluctant to Embrace. As a society in general, we are trained to go to the funeral home when someone dies. When did this change? Families used to take care of their own. Some of us remember when the parlor room in our home was used as the funeral parlor for the wake. Have you priced how much a funeral home charges to use their facilities? Funeral homes want you to buy from them – only. They like to be seen as your one-stop-shop. Their bottom dollar is greatly affected when you provide your own items. Your bottom dollar is greatly affected when you know your consumer rights.

Reluctant to Embrace. Are you reluctant to embrace the idea? Social engineering has trained you to believe there is no other way to cope with a death than to allow the funeral home to charge exorbitant prices and let them “make it go away”? Is it just too icky? You waited until the last moment and now you must make immediate monumental monetary decisions? Or are you willing to take a solid good idea to spend your money wisely to fruition?

http://www.asimplepinebox.com

Are You Funeral Home Proofed?

2009-04-21T11:03:00Z

Funerals are part of our culture's need to make a ceremony out of important times of transition. We seem to have an innate need to mark these points with ceremonies. During a funeral we reflect back on the time that we spent with the departed and we also begin to condition ourselves to the idea that they will no longer be with us. Funerals can be personalized by the individual who has died (pre-planning) or they can be personalized by the family. If you have pre-planned and/or prepaid, you have the right to make changes to those plans at any time including which funeral home you choose.

According to most sources, the cost of a funeral is one of the three or four most expensive purchases you will make in your lifetime. Traditional Funerals can cost upwards of $15,000. They definitely don't have to be so expensive, and there's no reason (other than stubborn sentimentalism) to believe that paying so much for a funeral is somehow a sign of how deeply you love.

Many morticians or funeral homes will not tell you that you can have a perfectly legitimate funeral, complete with a fine casket, for under $2500. Finding out the laws in your state will help you determine which funeral services and products you must buy. For example, embalming is rarely required by law but it is necessary at certain times. You may not have to buy that service. Know your rights.

The funeral home will not inform you by Federal Law (http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/menus/consumer/shop/funeral.shtm) you are not required to buy funeral items from the funeral home and you can shop around for items such as a casket. According to Federal Law, the funeral home must accept the products and can’t refuse or deny services, or up charge because you have provided your own product. But don’t back yourself into a corner and remember to allow enough time for delivery of a product.

A funeral home may prefer to be seen as your “one stop shop” but that’s when the price gets jacked up. If you don’t shop around, how will you know you are getting the best price? How will you know if you are getting ripped off? Shopping around may even be viewed as a more appropriate way to honor your frugal minded loved one. It’s not a matter of “what a shame, that’s all they could afford!” It’s a matter of “why put that kind of money in someone else’s pocket?” Even if you can afford a $10,000 casket, choose to spend less on a funeral and give the excess money to your family, church, favorite charity or have a party to celebrate the life of your loved one. Walk down Main Street and throw the money up in the air. Don’t overspend on a funeral because you were influenced to buy more from the funeral home to ease the pain of loss.

Are you funeral home proofed? Are you ready to deter the spiel that will be spun at you because you know your deceased loved one is on the other side of that door and you now have to fervently make monumental monetary decisions?

http://www.asimplepinebox.com

DIY and Save Thousands!

2009-04-03T15:08:00Z

Take a look at this link http://www.sugarcreekwoodworking.com/diy.aspx

These are before and after pictures of a “refreshed” kitchen. Our customer did most of the work and saved thousands!

The first estimates to gut and redo the whole kitchen were in excess of $20,000 including appliances and flooring. “Don’t have that kind of money to spend.” They decided to break the whole into pieces. Be careful during this process. It is very easy to overspend if you don’t have an accurate comparison cost. They shopped for flooring and found a good deal on tile at a local store and gave themselves a crash course on installing tile. Next they shopped around for appliances and counter top.

Now it was time for the cabinetry. They decided to paint the existing cabinets but needed several doors made to match width and sizes. While Sugar Creek Woodworking remade doors this DIY customer got to work filling holes, priming and painting. Because the homeowner did most of the work, the final steps for this refreshed kitchen cost under $1,000.

So, with a little bit of planning, shopping around and the attitude of “I can do it”, the reward you receive is when you are standing back and looking at the finished project and can say “I did it”.

Karen K

www.sugarcreekwoodworking.com

Reaching Critical Mass

2009-03-28T12:56:00Z

Coping with the death of your loved one can be a very emotional heart-wrenching ordeal. Part of this final process is making monetary decisions about the funeral, the type of funeral service and products you have (versus what you want) to buy. Why wait to make these decisions? We shop and find the best price for many other large expenses like a house, car, furniture, etc. Being forced to make monumental money decisions when you are under extreme emotional duress is not a good option.

The best way to avoid emotional over-spending is to make decisions now and talk with your family about your decisions. If you have pre-planned and you find a better price you can make changes to the plan - including changing the funeral home. Pre-planning does not mean pre-paying. There are many instances when pre-paying is not the best option. For example, a family talked with us about the casket even though their mom had prepaid the funeral. There was $7000 in the account (which should have been enough) but the funeral home wanted an additional $5000. Buying A Simple Pine Box for $1500 saved the family several thousands.

Someone told us the only way to inform is to talk and talk and talk to everyone until critical mass is reached. Have we reached critical mass?

Karen K.