Apparently, the recession is leaving many families unable to pay for elaborate funerals and burials, and they’re now opting for cremation, ”even when their culture or religion calls for such customs.”

Many are turning to cremation as a more budget-friendly alternative.  The cost of a cremation, with the ashes either returned to the family in a container or scattered at sea, runs between $700 and $1,200, while a funeral with all the flourishes, including an elegant casket, limousines and burial plot, can exceed $10,000.