Explaining funeral debt : an examination of socio-economic and emotional dimensions of funeral arranging

Key symbolic and material dimensions of death are negotiated when organising a funeral. Going into debt is often regarded as a litmus test for the value of a funeral – whether it is ?good or not. Existing literature views funeral debt as unhealthy: inappropriate emotions have superseded sound financial decision-making. Based on a qualitative study of attitudes to the cost of funerals in New Zealand that utilised an e-survey and interviews, this paper argues that debt incurred through arranging funerals can be a healthy (emotionally and financially appropriate) strategy. This finding offers conceptual clarification of the relationship between emotions and the cost of funerals and significant insights into broader social issues – for instance, why people may take on debt when they can least afford it