Journalists know a lot of words but there’s one they don’t know the definition of – bonus. Unlike most real grownup jobs, there’s no bonus for journalists. Journalists don’t get a nickel if the paper sells more newspapers (they still sell newspapers, right?) or whenever someone clicks on their story online. Nope, no bonuses for journalists.
But something journalists can look forward to is the expense check. To make up for sending journalists out into the field, newspapers give journalists expense checks – the closest thing to a bonus journalists will ever see.
For the uninitiated, most journalists keep an expense report for the expenses they incur while doing journalisming. Freedom isn’t free and neither is journalism. Journalists incur expenses driving to city hall, the courthouse, scene of crimes, the local drinking hole (it’s totally a legit expense), etc. They also incur expenses getting copies of public documents (apparently copiers owned by public entities run off gold bars). Journalists are still trying to figure out how to expense their bar tabs and fast food meals.
Though expense checks are meant to reimburse journalists for gas and the wear and tear on their cars that’s not how journalists spend their precious expense checks.
First, most journalists drive cars that are old enough to drive themselves. There’s only so much wear and tear one can put on a 1985 Honda Civic and when it comes to investing in a 12-year-old bottle of single malt Scotch or new brakes, the bottle is going to win every time.
And expense checks come in handy given that most journalists qualify for food stamps. It’s not a unheard of for journalists’ expense checks to be more than their actual paycheck.
So if you hear a shrill coming from your local newsroom and it’s not payday, then odds are it’s a journalist opening up an expense check.
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expense check definition
Expensive checks isn’t bad. at least you have something to look forward to.