$3.19

[Rich]

I don't even consider it. I don't rely on my officiating money for anything, although it subsidizes my eating and drinking after games. It's a hobby for me. It's nice when conferences provide mileage, but I don't turn down games when they (or schools) don't.

I understand why others would consider it, though.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by RichMSN

I don't even consider it. I don't rely on my officiating money for anything,...

+1

Lately, I seem to average between 50 - 80 miles round trip. While I would like to get some of the closer games, it hasn't worked out for me yet.

We get zippo, zero, nada, the null set for gas money!

My car avgs 34 mpg on the hwy, which is nice!

[Terrapins Fan]

This week I have 4 games at the same school, it's 45 miles each way.

We get Zero for gas.

It's an hour drive there, be there 1 hour before the game starts, 1 and 1/2 hour for the game, shower, then another hour back home....

But you got to love it to do it.

[chartrusepengui]

I guess I start thinking about it when I start losing money on it.

Some conferences in our area pay mileage. Not a problem. Some pay just game fee so that depends on what the fee is and how far you have to travel. Game fees range from $35 - $60 for varsity games.

Still others, have decided to not pay mileage, but have raised game fees $10/official. So, we usually take the extra $10 and give it to the driver for gas. We also rotate driving. In our area, we travel as partners regularly.

But, while I love doing this - I won't lose money to do it. I guess at that point I'd have to watch more ball on the tube. Don't know as I could sit in the stands listening to the idiots very long before losing it!!

[bob jenkins]

My general rule of thumb is that the game fee (we don't get mileage fee, but if we did, I'd include it here) in $ should be equal to or greater than the round trip distance in miles.

So, if I get $57 for a varsity game, I'd travel (in general) 28.5 miles each way.

There are exceptions, of course, but I have turned down conferences where the mileage is always in excess of that.

[zm1283]

I've driven 240 miles total in the last two days going to games and have made $96 in mileage fees. That will buy almost three tanks of gas, which I haven't used in those two trips, so I'll make a little money on top of paying for my gas.

It seems like we're pretty lucky here.

[mbyron]

Originally Posted by zm1283

I've driven 240 miles total in the last two days going to games and have made $96 in mileage fees. That will buy almost three tanks of gas, which I haven't used in those two trips, so I'll make a little money on top of paying for my gas.

It seems like we're pretty lucky here.

You should understand that mileage reimbursement is not fuel reimbursement. The difference is that mileage covers depreciation and maintenance in addition to fuel. In most cases, the depreciation and maintenance amount to rather more than the cost of fuel.

For instance, average depreciation is $162 per 1000 miles. For your 240 miles, that would come to about $39, which would leave just $57 from your mileage fees. Depending on your vehicle, that's getting close to the cost of a tank of gas, and that doesn't factor in maintenance.

The other thing you might bear in mind is that the IRS mileage rate is 50¢/mile, and it seems you're getting 40¢/mile. The difference should be tax deductible ($24 for your current trip).

Sorry to be "Debbie Downer," but you're not likely making money off a mileage check.

[Rich]

Originally Posted by bob jenkins

My general rule of thumb is that the game fee (we don't get mileage fee, but if we did, I'd include it here) in $ should be equal to or greater than the round trip distance in miles.

So, if I get $57 for a varsity game, I'd travel (in general) 28.5 miles each way.

There are exceptions, of course, but I have turned down conferences where the mileage is always in excess of that.

If I had this rule, I'd probably have about 10 schools I could actually work.

EDITED to add: I found a radius drawing tool and it's actually more like 30 schools. Those schools, though, are concentrated in only a few conferences and these conferences have schools well outside this radius (for example, one conference has a few schools within 20 miles and one that takes me 1:45 to drive to). I have asked a few commissioners to limit the schools they send me to -- one conference has an east and west division and I've asked to only work in the East. They have one of the most generous mileage allotments, though, and it's ironic that I can pick up $30 in mileage driving 10 minutes less than to another school in the big conference around here and we get no mileage there.

One suggestion I'd make to anyone who drives a lot -- get a credit card that gives significant cash back on gas purchases -- I have a BP card. I get 5% back on all BP gas purchases (right now that gets me over $2.50 back per tank) and they also are running a Loyalty Card promotion (you take your receipt inside and they give you a scratch off card you enter on the Internet) that gives back another $2 per fill-up. So for every $50 I put in right now, I'm getting back about 9%.

[Andy]

Another thing to consider is that mileage that you drive that you are not reimbursed or paid for is either partially or fully tax deductible. See your acountant for details.

[Welpe]

I'm not paying it too much mind right now. I do this for fun though the extra coin is nice at times. This is one of the few "hobbies" where I actually get a check in return.

I make a good living in a job I don't particularly enjoy, and officiating is an escape for me. So even if I did lose money, I think I'd keep doing it.

Besides, I drive a little commuter car that gets almost 30 mpg and most of the games I work are somewhere between work and home. We also get paid mileage, currently at $0.50 a mile so we do OK.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Terrapins Fan

We get Zero for gas.

It's an hour drive there, be there 1 hour before the game starts, 1 and 1/2 hour for the game, shower, then another hour back home....

Same ole, same ole.

We could be twin sons of different mother's. Of course, it is the DC area.....