Share on facebook
Share on twitter
Share on linkedin
May 19, 2022

16 – Dealing with Death: Planning and Paying for a Funeral

Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Joshua Slocum - Funeral Consumers Alliance Executive Director; Kevin Brasler - Checkbook's Executive Editor

Grieving for a loved one is acutely difficult just after the loss, and it’s not a time when you want to sit across the desk from a salesperson in a high-pressure, time-sensitive situation. You’re vulnerable to making hasty, costly decisions that might not make sense if you’d just had a little more time.

Funeral homes provide important services, but they are businesses with a goal of maximizing each sale. They make money by selling products and services, some of which you and your family may not want, need, or be able to afford.

In this episode, we review the many choices you have when a loved one dies, what funeral homes are required to disclose, and the marketing tricks some use to push unnecessary or high-end products. Plus, we explain why it’s important to pre-plan your funeral.

Special Guests: Joshua Slocum, executive director of the nonprofit Funeral Consumers Alliance, and Kevin Brasler, executive editor of Checkbook.org.

Read Checkbook’s full report on funeral homes including ratings and undercover price research, plus advice and resources to help plan a funeral.

Related Episodes

September 19, 2024
Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Lisa Gill - Consumer Reports investigative reporter; Stacie Dusetzina - Professor in the Department of Health Policy at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine

Prescription drug costs in the U.S. are “significantly higher” than in most other countries, according to a report earlier this year from the Rand Corporation. The average American spends more than $1,400 a year on prescription medications, research shows. For many, that expense is a budget buster. Because of the high cost, more than 9 million Americans don’t take their medications as directed, the CDC reports, which could result in serious health consequences

In this episode: Why are drug prices so high, and can anything be done about it? Plus, ways you can cut the cost of your prescription meds.

About our guests: Lisa Gill is an investigative reporter with Consumer Reports who focuses on health and medicine. Stacie Dusetzina is a professor in the Department of Health Policy at Vanderbilt University School of Medicine. Much of her research focuses on the economics related to prescription drugs.

Additional Consumerpedia podcast episodes on health.

More from Consumer Reports

How to Beat the Rising Cost of Prescription Drugs

Online Pharmacies Can Help You Save Big on Prescription Drugs

How to Find the Best Medicare Part D Drug Plan

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

July 11, 2024
Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Kevin Brasler - Checkbook's Executive Editor

When it comes to buying corrective eyewear, the choices seem endless—from dozens of contacts to thousands of fashionable frames. Even so, shopping for new specs or contacts can be a major hassle, and it’s an expensive purchase.

In this episode: Which eyewear stores offer the best advice and service, where to find the best prices on glasses and contact lenses, and who should you see to get your eye exam?

⁠Read Checkbook’s full report on opticians, optometrists, and buying eyewear.⁠

Not a Checkbook member? ⁠Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings⁠.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

June 27, 2024
Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Dr. John Swartzberg - Head of the Editorial Board at the UC Berkeley Wellness Letter; Bonnie Patten - Executive Director and Co-Founder of Truth in Advertising (TINA.org); Caitlin Dow - Senior Nutrition Scientist at the Center for Science in the Public Interest

Many Americans are sold on supplements. They’re convinced the “natural ingredients” in these non-prescription products have powerful health benefits that can prevent diseases, make us feel better, and slow down the effects of aging.

But can you trust what’s in the bottle, and the marketing claims used to sell this stuff?

In this episode, we focus on the false claims, bad science, and marketing tricks often used to sell dietary and nutritional supplements. Plus buying advice for those who choose to take these products.

Additional Resources:

UC Berkeley Wellness Letter:

⁠A Guide to Dietary Supplements⁠

CSPI Nutrition Action Newsletter:

Why the supplement aisle is the Wild West

How supplements distort science to sell

Tricks of the trade: Are supplement companies playing you for a fool?

Truth in Advertising (TINA.org):

Jury Hands Down a Verdict in Prevagen Deceptive Marketing Case

Consumer Alert: Hair Growth Products

Cow Colostrum Supplements

What You Should Know about Apple Cider Vinegar Supplements

Not a Checkbook member? Sign up for a free 30-day trial to access all of our unbiased ratings.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

April 18, 2024
Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Eva Velasquez - President and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center; James Lee - Chief Operating Officer at the Identity Theft Resource Center

Data breaches are now an annoyingly normal part of life: You change your stolen passwords, cancel your compromised credit cards. But it can be a significantly more serious problem when hackers get your medical data. Last year, about 1 in 3 Americans had their medical records breached, according to the federal government.

In this episode, we’ll look at how hackers are getting their hands on this highly sensitive personal information, what they’re able to do with it, and how you can protect yourself.

Read more on Checkbook.org.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

January 11, 2024
Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Kevin Brasler - Checkbook's Executive Editor

You don’t necessarily have to join a gym to get more exercise—there are scads of other workout options, many of which are free. If you decide that joining a club is the best choice for you, shop around and avoid making any long-term financial commitments. The fitness industry thrives on good intentions, but most consumers who join gyms stop using them regularly after only a few weeks or months, yet they continue paying their dues.

In this episode: Tips on how to find the best gym or fitness center, how to avoid the common marketing tricks and traps used by salespeople, and what to look for when reviewing membership contracts.

Read Checkbook’s full report on gyms and fitness centers⁠.

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support

September 7, 2023
Host: Herb Weisbaum /
Guest(s): Pam Dixon - Executive Director, World Privacy Forum; Jen Caltrider - a privacy researcher at the Mozilla Foundation

Wearable devices, health apps, and online medical resources can help us stay fit and healthy. They also collect highly personal information that you might assume is confidential. In most cases, this data can be—and often is—shared and sold without your knowledge or permission.

In this episode, how to tell if your health information is protected by the federal privacy law known as HIPAA, and what to do before you use medical apps, smart devices, or go online for medical advice. We talk with Pam Dixon, executive director of World Privacy Forum, and Jen Caltrider, a privacy researcher at the Mozilla Foundation.

Additional Resource:

Health Tracking Apps and Other Tech Might Be Invading Your Privacy

Support our podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/consumerpedia/support