In the event of something happening to me

Nothing quite focuses the mind on mortality more than a family bereavement. It’s been a long time between our family’s episodes of sorry business. However, I headed to New Zealand on pure instinct,  arriving in time to support my sister as she said goodbye to her husband of 62 years. They say that 95 is a ‘good innings’, but it is no less hard for the family when the time comes. The manner in which…

Continue reading

Long live the Green Man

Today we’ll be talking about death, grief and hypochondria (mine). So if any of those topics catch you at a bad moment, look away. We lost two good friends last week and, to misquote Pink Floyd, we’re feeling uncomfortably numb. Many FOMM readers would have either personally known or known of the renowned Australian folk-singer, John Thompson. John had been battling cancer for several years until his death last Wednesday, aged 56. Mr Thompson packed…

Continue reading

Funeral costs a trap for the unprepared

If there’s one thing that can put an unexpected dent in the household budget, it’s paying for a funeral. A new study by Finder shows that the average cost of a funeral in Australia ranged from $6,131 (Canberra) to $7,764 in Perth. Of course those who can afford it and deem it necessary pay $20,000 and more for a formal send-off. Finder’s Money Expert Bessie Hassan says one in five Australians don’t have enough money…

Continue reading