The idea goes far, far back. The Emperor Vespacian, a notorious skinflint, was told by overactive boot-lickers that they planned a funeral for him that would cost some exhorbitant number of denarii, and he is supposed to have said, "Give me the money and throw my body into the Tiber." Actually in the US now, some morticians will help you circumvent--or at least will not prevent you from circumventing--the laws on disposal, so I have my eye on a certain pumpkin patch with a lovely mountain view.

CC