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Caskets are among the more unusual items available to rent these days.
Renting a home? That we've heard of. Renting a casket? Not as much.
It's becoming clear that the rental industry — which was once reserved for tuxedos, cars and movies — has become much more, covering everything from cameras to power tools to parking spaces and, yes, burial caskets.
This new trend has a ton of benefits — for one, renting an item you'll only use once or twice is much cheaper (and more sustainable) than actually buying it. Not only that, sites like Rentalic.com let you tap into nearby resources like neighbors and community members to borrow items. Saving money and staying local? Now that's a movement we can get behind.
Here are examples of some unusual items available for rent.
Caskets
The average American funeral can cost anywhere from $8,000 to $10,000, with the average casket ringing in at $2,000 (although some models can reach up $10,000 or more). Recently, funeral homes have been giving families the opportunity to rent caskets for a much smaller price — over $1,000 less in some cases. Renting a casket is as simple as asking the funeral director about your options. When you choose to rent a casket, a simple interior container that looks like a wooden box will actually hold the body; at no point will the body actually come into contact with the rental casket. This box is cushioned inside the larger, more expensive casket. After the ceremony, this inner shell can be easily slid or lifted out of the outer casket.
Dresses
Let’s face it, most of us don’t have the cash to splurge on designer dresses, let alone shoes and accessories to go with them. That’s why we love the new trend of renting dresses: Sites like Rent the Runway and Lending Luxury allow users to borrow dresses for three to five days for as little as 10 percent of the retail value (plus Rent the Runway will send two sizes). To snag a matching clutch or handbag, check out Bag Borrow or Steal.
Parking spaces
If you regularly commute to a crowded city, finding parking can be a huge hassle — and parking garages are notoriously expensive. For an easier alternative, consider renting a parking space. Sites like ParkingSpacesforRent, and ParkAtMyHouse allow individuals to list their available parking spaces online. Then, users can search for a space based on location, type and time period, and rent directly with the owner.
Power tools
Whether cleaning the carpet, fixing up the garden or just taking on a day of home improvement, power tools can often come in handy. But instead of splurging on one-time-use hardware, check out the rental options at your local Home Depot or Lowes. These stores offer everything from power washers to paint sprayers for daily or weekly rentals.
Video games
Hooked on Wii Boxing? We understand. Unfortunately, video games can get pricey, and replenishing your collection can be tough on budgets. To keep the variety at a lower cost, try renting games from sites like GameFly and GameMine. These resources are just like Netflix, with a flat monthly rate, quick and free shipping and large libraries of games to select.
Textbooks
There's no denying it: College is becoming increasingly expensive. That's why we love the idea of renting textbooks — it's an easy way to save each semester. While there are a ton of book rental sites, we especially like Book Renter for its library of more than 5 million books (plus free shipping!), and Chegg, which puts a priority on low prices. In some cases, you may even be allowed to highlight or take notes in book margins.
Camera lenses
Ever wanted to capture a wedding or a graduation with a professional-grade camera, but didn’t want to shell out thousands of dollars? Sites like LensRentals.com and BorrowLenses.com now allow users to rent lenses or camera bodies much more cheaply than the cost of the normal hardware. With added bonuses like overnight shipping and quality customer service, budding photographers will love these options.
Tech hardware
Buying new technology hardware can be a huge investment — but with new models coming out every year, it's so important for businesses to stay current. Sites like Rent Smart allow small business owners to borrow all kinds of tech hardware, from iPads to smartphones, for several years at a low weekly rate. Get ready to upgrade your home office — without breaking the bank.
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Leave a Comment:
This makes sense... even the dead in America can't "own" anything... only the masters can. We serfs only exist to provide more wealth for them anyway
The good news is, they still die too.
(DISCLAIMER: Not a death threat, this is an observation that we humans are still all mortal; regardless of wealth).
Caskets for rent ? The ultimate in Lay Away ! With the '' stiff '' competition it should drive prices down even lower.
This actually makes a lot of sense. It allows you to have a nice casket for the service without spending thousands of dollars on something that is only going to be buried in the ground. It also makes a lot of sense for someone who you are having a service for but is going to be cremated. Why spend a fortune on something only to burn it up in a day or two. Have an insert inside the casket that can easily be lifted out and the casket can be reused without the corpse ever actually touching the casket.
It does make sense, but the articles says this allows people to "rent caskets for a much smaller price — over $1,000 less in some cases." While $1K is a lot for many of us, it seems that $1000 off a $3000 casket isn't really that much. That means three funerals and the funeral home has already made back the for-profit price. All the future rentals are frosting on the cake. Goes along with the whole idea that funerals -- in general -- are ripoffs.
Also, it seems to me this would work great for cremations, but in most states I think you need more than a cardboard box in which to bury bodies. I think it's bull that only a certified mortuary specialist can sell caskets/coffins in some states. I think anyone who can make a pretty wooden box that people are willing to buy should be able to sell them without going through the mortuary middleman.
You can buy a casket at, where else, WALMART.
http://www.walmart.com/search/search-ng.do?search_query=casket&ic=16_0&Find=Find&search_constraint=0
Hello folks, to bad they don't have guillotines for rent to be used on the banksters. They have reduced our economy to a macabre gruesome joke.
My father always told me to 'save up and buy', otherwise you're getting ripped off. He always pointed to paying rent for a roof over your head as 'making someone else's house payment for them' and that by renting, you've 'thrown your money away' nothing to show for it.
As far as caskets..... well dad, what have you got to 'show' for it? Even less than the average bloke - he was buried at sea! A poster above stated that 1000 was too much just to rent a casket for a few days - and I have to agree. Talk about the 'middle man' making out: 500 would seem a fair price, unless the 1000 rent is for a 6000+ mode. Which is ridiculous for the LIVING, really: If I'm dead, what the hellfire do I care what my bloody casket looks like? I guess some people really need to keep up with the Jonses - even if they're dead....
You don't own your house with a mortage either--your just renting it until you pay off the mortgage.
We are still getting screwed by the Funeral home half the price of a casket to use for a hour or two 1,000 2,000 3,000. I guess what ever they can get out of you at the time
This is not a new trend... My father is a mortician and has been "renting" caskets for over 25 years.
The rental casket is not like a normal casket. The rental type has a removable cardboard box inside of it that the body is placed in. These types of caskets are typically used when someone wants an open casket and also wants to be cremated. It makes a lot more sense than cremating an expensive casket.
Agreed. Our family has owned + operated funeral homes for 40+ years. Casket rentals have been happening for decades, so despite how the article presents the topic, this service is neither a new innovation nor a trend. These rental caskets work much like sliding a drawer in and out a cabinet or a the way the cover of a shoebox nestles over and lifts off the bottom corrugate platform.
I've had 3 elderly relatives die in the past few yeas. All 3 wished to be cremated. We used rented caskets for all 3. Saved a boatload of money that remained in the estates and was distributed according to the will.
I have it written that I do not want any open casket or viewing of any kind. Take me right from being dead to being cremated. A few thousand more for my kids.
Is the casket really burned in a cremation? Metal does not turn to ash... metal melts... copper melts... but it does not turn to ask... so how can the casket be cremated? It seems to me that the funeral homes are reconditioning the caskets and selling again.
Most of these rental options have been around for years. Renting caskets has been around for over twenty years. The drawback then was that only high end caskets (over $15,000) were on the available list for caskets, making it less expensive to purchase a lesser casket than to rent the high priced one.
Taiwan, an island, has limited space so many things there are rented that we would not expect her like luggage to take on vacation. I think with the economy going the way it is, more items will be available through rentals.
Are you sure your father is a mortician?
I have had several family members cremated and they always are in a cardboard material casket or light wood or shaped cardboard painted casket.
They do not cremate the highend caskets most have so much metal they are impossible to burn.......................................................
I have had two relatives recently cremated. Both times, we rented a casket for the showing that some close family members wanted. It was respectful, and a very wise option. Funeral homes will allow just about anything into the crematorium. Metal does melt, and can be shredded. One went with boots. There are no rules. Just what is right for every family. As far as I am concerned... pile me onto a small boat... light it on fire... and give me a push... what goes around in this world, also comes round... my body means nothing once I have gone.
kat kerr - when I lived in Seattle I had a neighbour that was building a small Viking-looking boat. I asked him about it one day and he told me it was for his brother who was dying of cancer: that was his brother's request for a burial.
I would like to start working on a small Middle Kingdom Egyptian solar bark for the same reason (for myself, someday). Perhaps someone should start a business for that: using recycled materials to keep costs at a minimum that would actually burn slowly and decompose under water -I'll bet there would be a market for that....
Still cheaper to donate your body to a medical school. "You" aren't there anyway. And in your death, you do a good service for society.
You should rent it to the school and let your heirs collect.
I am going to have just my butt cheeks stuffed, laying on a marble slab at the funeral. That way everyone that stops by can kiss it!
An oldie but still a goodie....
Also today burial vaults are used to prevent the seepage of contaminants into soil and groundwater. So using an inexpensive box inside a much nicer, rented casket makes sense since someone is just going to stick you in an underground vault anyway.
Actually I never thought they would burn the expensive casket whether you bought it or rented it. The only difference is the extra cash for the funeral home if you bought it.
I can't afford to die.
I've told my family to buy my casket from Costco. It's about the same price as the rental fee quoted in this article, and the FTC requires funeral homes to accept the caskets without adding additional fees. I don't really want to share something I'm going to be in for eternity.
They don't add fees on for the casket, but there are still embalming fees, if you want a viewing. Prep fees. Fees to the graveyard for purchase and opening of a grave. Service fees for the minister and the flowers. The list goes on. Find a director you trust, and they will go over it all line by line. No surprises that way. Funerals are expensive.
"Find a funeral director you trust" -- that is a big laugh. The definition of funeral director is someone that cannot be trusted. If they could be trusted, would they be working there? Not likely. They rip people off when they are defenseless. Embalmed to be cremated... ever hear of that one? Ripping off the jewelry... ever seen that? Digging up and reselling the grave plots... ever hear of that? Letting the corpses pile in the orchard when people paid for cremation... ever hear of that? The funeral business needs to be ripped apart. A folger's can is good enough for me.
And I will restate.... find a director you trust. We had the body of a relative embalmed in one case. Our choice, not the director of the funeral home. Family did not want the services to be immediately, due to holidays, and timing. The other, we had the service held the next day after death. No embalming. Was not necessary, due to the service being held quickly. Just cleaned, and dressed. The jewelry was handed to us, immediately after the service. We were given a list of services that we could choose from. There was no pressure. We made the decisions as a group. All children of the deceased present, and spouses. We were given guidance. That was priceless. There are bad people in every service. Know who you want to use, in advance.
My husband is very ill. I know the time is coming soon, that I will have to turn to the same director, and make the final choices for my husband. We have talked about what those services will be. I feel good, knowing that I have no doubt what my husband wants. And I do have a director I trust. I will call him, with no reservations. AND we will rent the outer shell of a casket again. Cremation is my husband's choice. The body is no longer a temple once death has occurred. Just an empty house, that has served it's purpose. It needs to be treated with respect. You would not go to a barber that you did not trust. Why not have researched your choices in advance, for dealing with death? It makes sense in this world.
Frankly I've arranged to be buried free at Arlington. NO, not THAT ARLINGTON!!! The Arlington Garbage dump serving Portland Oregon and many other Pacific northwest communities. My mortician has instructions to place my ashes in 2 one-quart Ball brand mason jars. and mail them off to the person who will place then in a public trash can in downtown Portland. (Thereby proving I have the Balls to do it.)
Sick , sick ,society ...all in the name of profit !
I better jump off the boat so that way I know that nobody will make any money out of my death
Do you know expensive it is for dental care for fish is?
We rented the casket for my dad's wake, since he was being cremated. He was a frugal guy during his lifetime, and would have appreciated the sense of this option. No one was the wiser during the wake, and it left my mom with a few thousand dollars extra to use for her care.
I like the idea of e-renting textbooks. College is expensive enough, and I'm always looking for more ways to save money. The prices for textbooks at my school are terrible, and I can't always rent every single book through my school's bookstore.
NewEngland: that's a fact! The sticker shock of some of my books had me searching this option. I hope that more people start using it because the library of e-renting is a little thin for many disciplines. But 189.00 for a soft-cover 450 paged ART book (not even my MAJOR!) is WAY WAY WAY too expensive for something that the bookstore will not even buy back for 27.00! Half dot com: 133.55 - better but there is definitely room for improvement.
I recently had a death in the family. We decided to rent the coffin as we creamated our loved one. It made sense, why spend enormous amounts of money and then burn it. All thte family members were really surprised and pleased with the decision. it cost us 1200 as opposed to nearly 5-6.
That's a substantial savings indeed, but honestly, even $1,200 to rent a casket for a day seems outrageous to me.
Next thing you know someone will offer condom rentals
Oh just feed me to the sharks when I'm dead--cheaper than cremating!
My Grandma wanted to be cremated but I also wanted a viewing. So the casket rental made sense. They explained it all when I gave them a funny look. The inner parts would stay with her (they actually cremated her in it) and then the outer shell is what you rent. We had a really nice casket too. Anyway, I wanted to honor her wishes of being cremated and this was a good solution.
Also, in the mid 90's I worked for a tuxedo store. Of course people rent those so why not formal dresses? That's what the owners thought too and they actually rented wedding dresses. It was especially perfect for 2nd or 3rd weddings. Who needs a closet full of wedding dresses? Of course it wasn't overly popular because the brides want their own special unique dresses and will spend thousands. I was one of them. Now that I am divorced, if I ever get married again, I could be wearing whatever. That isn't what matters. So renting a wedding dress (or any formal dress) doesn't seem weird to me anymore.
A friend of mind and I BOYH had to purchase the cheapest because of finances. Then I show the one mt cousin got for her mother abd was ashamed/blown away. I would have been "one last thing" to do for my mom. As for my time, I tell my family - it is just going in the ground~Don't spend money.
In some states you don't have to have a sealed container if the body isn't embalmed or the death was not caused by communicable disease. My Godfather was an avid outdoorsman, he was buried in his zipped up sleeping bag with his rifle and fishing pole, the way he wanted.
Okay now, let's see if we've checked all of the right boxes: Space in funeral palor, check. Space in Hearse, check. Rented Casket, check. Rented dress/Suit, check. Space in Heaven/Hell, check. Looks like that's about it.<sarc>