Work Expenses
I always have work-related expenses. As a journalist, I drive around, chasing stories, burning gas and wearing and tearing my car. I have to pay for copies of public records requests. I pay for parking while I’m at stories. I use my cell phone to check in with editors. Now ask me am I diligent and file for reimbursements from the company? Not like I should. Meh! When your life gets so hectic, you tend to forget to sweat the small stuff, like that 15-mile drive you did for work. But, it all adds up. I noticed a big difference in my bank account when I’m filing my expenses weekly.
For all the mouthiness about gas prices and inflation, sometimes people-especially those of us who have reimbursable work expenses-need to do our financial part to stay afloat. It’s much better to be tedious with your records. Your bank account will thank you. I talked to a coworker who is a frugalist normally. The man brings his lunch to work everyday and he drinks the free coffee. But he admits he’s probably let about $2,000 worth of work expenses fritter through his fingers.
I’m writing this post because the end of the month is near, and I have to play catch up with my expenses. If I don’t file now, my company won’t accept the receipts/paperwork in July. FOCUS FRUGALISTA!
Do you have expenses for work? Do you submit for reimbursement in a timely fashion? How much have you subsidized your company by not filing for expenses?
10 Responses to Work Expenses
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I get reimbursements for travel and Internet (I’m on call, so I need the access for work). I try to get those forms filled out ASAP. For the longest time, I kept forgetting to be reimbursed for Internet, but now I submit them like clockwork. I don’t really love business travel, so I sure don’t want to pay for it out of my own pocket!!!
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Great post. Yes, when I travel for my job or if I have to make a few purchases I am reimbursed. I fill out my paperwork faster than they get the money in from the bank. The guy who hands out the money will actually give me a telephone call from time to time when the money is in because he knows I have already filled out my forms…lol
Sometimes my travel totals hundreds of dollars so umm yes I want my money and I want it NOW please!!!!
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You two are model employees! Yay! *runs back to number crunching for her mileage*
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I’m horrible about these things, too and what’s worse is that my company forces me to subsidize them by using my own cash or credit card to take care of such things. IN my last job I had a corporate card. I was still responsible for paying the bill every month, so as long as I filed my expenses on time, no sweat off my back. But here there are no such things, yet I’m expected to do a gang of lunches and driving for work. Not to mention the dismal per-mile reimbursement we get for wear and tear on our personal vehicles (less than .40 per mile, while gas is more than $4 to the gallon AND I’m having a major repair done to my car today).
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We get reimbursed for mileage and other expenses. The mileage reimbursement is garbage, but they also pay half of my cell phone bill (only $25) and pay for most conventions I want to attend.
To make sure I file all of my expenses, I have a note in my day planner a week before the month ends to start on it and I have a folder on my desk. I have my mileage page and drop all of my receipts in there to have them in one place when it’s time.
If your desk is this psychotic clutter, stand the folder up behind your phone. That’s where mine is now. Lol.
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@$out of $.15-aren’t you the gentle lamb today?
@Vanessa-Great advice. You are tre organized.
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Okay, I hate to admit this but I am actually the worst one of everyone who posted here when it comes to this, but I do turn my reports in, just never on time. It’s so hectic having to actually do the work and then go back and figure out all the places you went, all the miles, etc. I’m just no good at it.
Luckily, submitting timely expense reports is not a requirement of my job and I don’t get knocked for it on my performance reviews. My company is pretty laxed about turning them in every week, but it’s got to be done by the end of the month.
I also heard from someone at work that the IRS just raised the mileage rate. Does anyone know if that’s true? It’s still .25 cents per mile at my job.
And I do not get my cellphone bill covered at all. I would that, too. That’s about $100 a month I could save and right now, every little bit I put away helps… (I’ve got to pay for the gas, too!)
I drive at least 15 miles or more per day for work!!!
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I file my expenses the same day. There is nothing more important than making sure I get paid.
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I always file my expenses as soon as I get back from the trip! Anything my school doesn’t cover I put aside for tax time (since business travel expenses are tax write-offs)!
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We don’t get reimbursed for much — so I’m religious about it. Parking, meters, mileage, everything.
GLM