How I Tried to Save My City Money—And Got Paid Triple Instead: The Wild World of Government Expense Reports
Expense reports: two words that can strike fear (or boredom) into the heart of any working adult. But what happens when you try to do everything right—and accidentally walk away with nearly three times what you spent? That’s exactly what happened to a Redditor who innocently submitted receipts after a work trip, only to get schooled by the labyrinthine logic of municipal accounting. Instead of being reimbursed for his actual expenses, he ended up with a $900 payday on $375 spent—all thanks to the wacky world of government travel policies.
Is this bureaucratic benevolence, a loophole in the system, or just good old-fashioned “malicious compliance”? Strap in for a ride through the expense report rabbit hole, featuring confusion, community wisdom, and a few hilarious takes from the Reddit peanut gallery.
The Sincere Employee Meets the Expense Report Hydra
Our hero, Reddit user u/SkipJack270, wasn’t out to game the system. He was a firefighter, sent four hours away for a three-day training. He did what any honest employee would: saved his gas, meal, and lodging receipts, filled out the forms, and hit submit. Total cost? About $375.
But the accounting department wasn’t having it. First, they wanted the receipts “recoded.” Then, they insisted he calculate travel reimbursement not by what he paid at the pump but by a weird mileage formula (at a set gas price, not the actual one). Then came hotel reimbursement—not what he paid, but a pre-approved flat rate. Every day brought a new correction. Each time, he did exactly as told.
The result? His reimbursement ballooned to nearly $900. “Not sure it’s malicious per se, but I did exactly what the accounting person said and made almost three times what I spent,” he wrote, echoing what many of us would feel: “Crazy.”
Bureaucratic Logic: Why “Actuals” Don’t Mean a Thing
Why would a city or company pay you double or triple what you actually spend? Turns out, it’s not just government largesse—it’s policy. As top commenter u/ROYteous explained, “They do it by mileage instead of fuel because the per mile rate basically includes vehicle wear and tear in with fuel cost.” This approach standardizes reimbursement, covering not just the gas, but the depreciation, maintenance, and insurance costs of using your own car.
Other commenters added nuance. u/XenonFireFly pointed out the “Per Diem standard rates by Zip Code”—set amounts for meals and lodging, regardless of whether you survive on McDonald’s or splurge on steak. “OP did not read the expense report policy before submitting,” they joked, though plenty commiserated that policies change so often, even experienced employees get confused.
The per diem and mileage rates are standardized for fairness—and, as u/Deep_Sea_Crab_1 explained, to “save the company a lot of time and trouble and honestly save the employee from hassle about receipts and over-charging, etc. There’s so much less potential fraud and misunderstanding, plus much less paperwork.”
The Comedy (and Camaraderie) of Compliance
Reddit’s reaction was a mix of envy, amusement, and weary recognition. Many, like u/Double-Portion, reassured OP: “Not malicious, and this person was just trying to do their job right and in a way that benefited you, you shouldn’t feel malicious towards them.” Others noted that this “overpaying” isn’t a bug—it’s a feature. As u/whoooootfcares shared, their own supervisor once said, “We don’t care what you actually spent. This is what was authorized, so it’s what we’re paying.” If you spend less than the fixed rate, congrats—you pocket the difference. If you overspend, that’s on you.
Some even shared stories of clever “compliance.” u/sevesteen remembered a group renting a two-bedroom apartment for months of out-of-town training, splitting the cost and pocketing the per diem savings. “Everyone else who was going paid him far more than his break-even cost, but far less than their per diem rate for hotels.” As u/Slow-Complaint-3273 quipped, “The expenses admin was probably thinking, ‘Dude, quit cutting yourself off! You get paid more if you use the conversion chart. Take care of yourself, my buddy. Screw the Man!’”
Still, some commenters warned of the “unwritten rules” and politics of such systems—especially when executives write the policies and benefit the most. “Travel policies are written by executives. Executives do most of the travel. You do the math,” observed u/wabarron dryly.
Lessons From the Per Diem Wonderland
So what’s the moral of this story? First, when bureaucracy tells you to follow the rules, sometimes it literally pays to do so. Second, the “per diem” and “mileage” approach isn’t just about covering costs—it’s about fairness, efficiency, and, occasionally, a little extra cash for the trouble.
As u/ReaderOfTheLostArt joked, “Consider it compensation for pain and suffering from the training event.” And let’s not forget the pain of deciphering expense report policies themselves—a point that might deserve its own per diem.
For those new to the game, the consensus is clear: Don’t under-report! Read the policy (or ask a seasoned pro), and don’t feel guilty if the system works in your favor. As u/nottakenby put it: “Wins are hard to come by in gov work. Take it where you can get it.”
Conclusion: The System Works—Just Not How You Think
Expense reports aren’t always about getting your money back—they’re about following a system designed to be fair, efficient, and, sometimes, surprisingly generous. Next time you travel for work, remember: honesty is great, but knowing the rules can be even better. And if you find yourself pocketing more than you spent, just smile, thank the helpful accountant, and maybe buy them a coffee with your windfall.
Have you ever gotten an unexpected bonus (or headache) from an expense report? Share your best (or worst) travel reimbursement story in the comments below! Let’s see who can top this one.
Original Reddit Post: Expense report you say?