Here's a silly expense report ethics question

[y4m]

I have a credit card (which I pay the annual fee for) that gets 25% off food/drinks purchased on my airline.  This is credited at the end of the month, so when I make a purchase, say for $10, I get a receipt that says $10, and then am charged $10, but at the end of the month, I get a $2.50 credit.

Since this is business travel, I can expense that purchase, but how much to expense...I'm actually out $7.50 for the purchase, but expensing that would be a total pain because there's no receipt showing that amount.  And one could argue that the discount is because of my credit card membership, which I am not reimbursed for, so I "earned" it myself, unrelated to work.

What would you expense?

Ease back into the first work week of 2015 with this one!

[crashgizmo]

My employer is more finnicky about having the receipt match the expense than what the expense amount is, so I'd go with the $10.

[delawarejen]

If someone actually reviews your travel (which is what happens at my employer), you will drive them nuts asking for $7.50 reimbursement when the receipt says $10. It would take them longer to figure it out than to just approve the $10. So I would probably just submit for the $10.

[raangoli]

I said $7.50, but I don't have to submit receipts for food expenses. But I really should be using my corp Amex where the charges are imported for me, so in that case it would be $10. I can use a personal card in certain cases (like when they don't take Amex...which is a PITA) and then I would submit for the price I paid.

[heyrebekah]

I don't really see this as much different than earning credit card points or airline miles on your business expenses.

[illgetthere]

Does food not just fall under per diem?

[CrazyLucky]

In our system, it's easy to break things up as personal expense (do not reimburse) or business expense (reimburse me). So it would be really easy for me to import the $10 expense from the credit card, then enter $7.50 for reimburse and $2.50 for don't reimburse. I would do this because they have fired people for very minor theft and I don't want to be one of them!

[ssmjlm]

I said $10, but you know the real answer is to freeze the stick of butter and then eat that on the plane.

[LoveTrains]

Jan 5, 2015 13:48:24 GMT -5 illgetthere said:

Does food not just fall under per diem?

I've never had per diem for business travel. Always have to submit receipts.

[tcu2003]

I have to submit receipts, and in general, they need to match, so I voted $10.

[cheezer]

I'd expense the $10. It's easier. And I don't feel a need to "give back" my CC rewards such as money back or airline points or whatever it is.

[Deleted]

If they review / request receipts then I'd do it for $10

If they don't review receipts / request them $7.50

Only you know how picky your company is.

I know that whenever I've done expense reports I've had to have the receipt match up 100%.

[spindle92]

When I use to handle expense reports it would be a huge pain in the ass when the amounts did not match the receipts.

I say expense the $10.

[IrishBelle]

For me, my expense report must match the receipt so I'd expense the full $10.

[mbcdefg]

Whatever matches the receipt.

[candyland]

The report needs to match the receipts.
Do you have to give your free hotel nights to your company if you earn them?

[boiler717]

$10. Credit card rewards are mine!

[katiecj6]

$10. As someone who reconciles receipts with expense reports...I need numbers to match.

I don't care about rewards. And the $2.50 difference would be a pain.

[jerseyjaybird]

Between your time explaining the situation and the folks in accounting's time trying to sort it out . . . that would cost your company far more than the $2.50 in question.

[Deleted]

Does your company allow you to keep rewards? If so, I'd do $10.

[protozoa]

Full amount, no question!

[irishbride2]

The perk of having to use your own credit card for things you are reimbursed for is that you get to keep rewards.

$10.

[Emerald1486]

Jan 5, 2015 16:27:14 GMT -5 katiecj6 said:

$10. As someone who reconciles receipts with expense reports...I need numbers to match.

I don't care about rewards. And the $2.50 difference would be a pain.

This EXACTLY

[doobeedoo]

If I got a discount on snacks, I would be eating ALL the Late July Multigrain Tortilla Chips and Salsa snack boxes on the plane.

To answer your question, $10. Because it is just easier for you and your A/P person. Also because I think of it as a perk for business travel, like your airline miles and points. And also because you pay the fee for your CC, which means all the benefits of that card should go to you.