In prosperous times, most people have enough cash to meet expenses and even put aside something for a rainy day. They hold onto their assets or sell them for major, one-time wants or needs, like funding a year of college or a luxury vacation.

But now the rainy day has come, and for many it’s turning into a torrential downpour. Financially squeezed families are looking to cut costs any way they can, and funerals are one area they target, foregoing limousine rides, expensive caskets and elaborate tombstones in favor of simpler and less costly services and merchandise, according to funeral experts. With bills piling up, “luxuries” like burial insurance premiums tend to land on the bottom of the stack, and that tiny piece of real estate in the cemetery suddenly represents a mortgage payment or food on the table for a month or two.

If you’re thinking of selling burial plots for some quick cash, though, keep in mind that while the proceeds from the sale of cemetery real estate may keep the lights and telephone on for a few more months, selling a burial plot is definitely not a money-making proposition. As in the broader real estate market, many sellers and few buyers have driven down prices, creating a buyer’s market for cemetery plots. And according to  Ken Brant – marketing director for GraveSolutions, a multi-listing website for the sale of cemetery property – sales can be slow, with plots taking up to 15 months to move.