Someone wrote to us this week that a person in his family is terminally ill, and that he was told “that the cost of the casket, funeral, viewing, and burial would possibly exceed 12,000 dollars.” He thinks that’s an “exorbitant amount of money,” and so do we. There is no reason to pay that much money for a kick-ass funeral that people will be talking about for years to come. You don’t need to be a cheapskate to manage this, either—you just need to be aware of your rights and know what traps to watch out for. Here’s our list of what to do the next time you have to plan a funeral.
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100 Kilos Of Gold Art Show Cancelled
By 3.6.09
100 kilos of gold bricks will not be arriving at the Gagosian Gallery in Santa Monica, California this weekend. The bricks were to have been the centerpiece of a show called One Ton One Kilo by artist Chris Burden. The gold was bought from Stanford Coins and Bullion, part of the Stanford Financial group. You know, Stanford, the mini-Madoff guy accused of bilking investors in an $8-billion ponzi scheme. Now the transfer is frozen while the SEC investigates Stanford. It appears that large-scale conceptual sculpture is but the latest unexpected casualty of the economic crisis.
Burlington Coat Factory Supplier Caught Gluing Designer Labels To Walmart Coats
By 3.6.09
A CBS investigation has uncovered some Walmart and Macy’s coats being sold at Burlington Coat Factor — disguised as more expensive designer brands. Apparently, some jackass at a coat supplier thought it would be a good idea to glue Perry Ellis labels on cheap coats. As you can imagine, both Burlington Coat Factory and the customers with the fake merchandise are not pleased.
Thanks For Giving My Tax Refund To Someone Else, H & R Block
By 3.6.09
Q:What happens when HR Block copies your bank information incorrectly and deposits your tax refund into someone else’s account? A:The other person spends it and H & R Block shrugs and tells you to call the police.
Who The Hell Are These People Calling My Cellphone About A Car Warranty?
By 3.5.09
We’ve been getting a lot of emails from people saying that a company is using a robocaller to call their cellphones and pretend that their car warranty is expiring. Too bad that some of these readers don’t even have a car. Has happened to you? Do you know who is behind it?
This Grocery Store Truly Understands Tax Season
By 3.5.09
Reader Kevin took this photo at a Fred Meyer store in Seattle. It seems like they understand tax season pretty well.
Months Later Valve Has Still Not Reset My Steam Password
By 3.5.09
Reader Con Seannery was randomly locked out of his Steam account one day and has been trying to get Valve’s attention for months. Will they ever respond?
Morning Deals
By 3.5.09
- Skis.com: [Winter clothes] 50% off everything North Face
- Ann Taylor Loft: [Sweater] Petite Scoopneck Cable Sweater for $14.99
- Amazon: [Video Game] Fallout 3 for PS3 for $34.98 Shipped
Highlights From Buxr
- Fedex Kinkos: [Printing] FREE 25 Resumes Printed on High Quality Paper
- Amazon: [DVD] The Nightmare on Elm Street Collection for $24.99 + Shipping
- AT&T Wireless: [Cellphone] Nokia 2610 GoPhone® (Refurbished) for $9.99 w/ Free shipping
Highlights From Dealhack
- Old Navy: [Clothing] Apparel Basics up to 50%+ off
- Newegg: [DVD] Philips HD Upscaling DivX DVD Player $50 Shipped
- Meritline: [Lights] LED Bicycle Headlight & Tail Light Kit $5 Shipped
Highlights From Dealnews
- MacMall: [Computer] New Apple Mac mini Core 2 Duo 2GHz Desktops from $569 + $0 s&h after rebates
- Shop4Tech: [Gadget] iTheater Wireless Video Eyewear for $101 + free shipping
- JR: [Laptop] Toshiba Satellite Sempron 2GHz 15″ Laptop for $400 + free shipping
Morning Deals are purely an informational service for the readers, Consumerist receives nothing in exchange for their posting.
Pizzeria Employees Wear T-Shirts With Quotes From Nasty Yelp Reviews
By 3.4.09
Here’s a little bit of brilliance — a pizzeria in San Francisco has taken quotes from nasty 1 star reviews on Yelp! and make them into t-shirts for their employees to wear. We love this.
Top 5 Best Value New Small Cars
By 3.4.09
If you’re one of the like, 6 people who are buying new cars this year, you’re probably looking to get the most for your money. Our sister-publication Consumer Reports took a look at this year’s cars in a new way — judging them based not only on their test results but on their total cost of ownership. Let’s take a look.
Find Out If You Qualify For Mortgage Assistance
By 3.4.09
The Obama Administration announced new details about its massive foreclosure relief program — and the Washington Post says that it includes a refinancing program for homeowners with little equity in their homes, but who otherwise would be able to refinance. The Post has a quick interactive tool that will help you to determine whether or not you qualify for the program.
Supreme Court Rules For Injured Consumer In Big Pharma Case
By 3.4.09
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 in favor of Diana Levine in Wyeth v. Levine. Levine, a musician, had her arm amputated when an anti-nausea drug was improperly administered in her artery, and sued the manufacturer for failing to warn of the risks on the drug’s label. Wyeth claimed that her case was pre-empted by federal law.
Going To The Doc? Be Sure You Don't Sign A Gag Order
By 3.4.09
Man, those online review websites sure can be harsh. Some doctors think they’re totally unfair! That’s why a neurosurgeon in North Carolina has started a business called Medical Justice. The Associated Press says the company provides waiver forms for docs to give to patients. If you sign it, and then post a review online that can be traced back to you, the doctor can use your signed form as proof that it must be removed.
10 Human Teeth Found In Walmart Wallet
By 3.4.09
According to the Cape Cod Times an unidentified shopper was browsing through the wallets at a Falmouth, MA Walmart, when he unzipped one of the compartments and found a surprise — ten human teeth. One of them even had a filling.
Toyota And Maybe Honda And Mazda Asking For A Bailout
By 3.4.09
It’s not just US automakers that are in trouble these days. Toyota is asking its government for a bailout and now Bloomberg says that Honda and Mazda might do the same.
Morning Deals
By 3.4.09
Morning Deals are purely an informational service for the readers, Consumerist receives nothing in exchange for their posting.
E-Harmony Gives You 58 Dimensions Of Suck By Billing You For Two Accounts
By 3.3.09
Update: eHarmony has returned the money.
