This person never really made it clear how she wanted to be buried/cremated until recently. Cremation is the least expensive but she wants to be buried. I'm trying to find out some options and how to go about this. I am not thrilled about paying up the wazoo for something that should be easy and simple, but I'd like to hear some input from others that had to go through this. Does a funeral home usually arrange everything (casket, headstone, service)? What's the average cost for a basic traditional service?

If they wants to be buried, then they need to have finances set aside for burial. The funeral home will handle everything and most will handle financing through a third party.

Depending on the casket, plot, etc.....$6000 and above is normal. You may get cheaper, but most states have very specific laws about caskets and burial vaults, etc.

basic no frills burial will cost you 6-9 thousand dollars. It is all taken care of through the funeral home.

$10k? wow.

anywhere between 6-8k here

Depending how things were spelled out, you can have a regular wake with what equates to a loaner casket, then cremate and bury the remains.  Don't know the total cost for this option, but it is available.