Originally Posted by
jdawginsc
OK. So after looking back through 200 receipts I have a few questions...
1. Anything extracted from the box of crap is considered free correct? (We don't have to include a pro-rata shipping premium based on the weight and price?)
2. If something was bought as part of a ridonculously cheap lot, do we use market value minus crappiness deduction, or divide the lot by the number of crappy parts we have received...?
3. If we used 1/2 bottle of crappy walmart nail polish to cover rust so we didn't have to see it because we were frustrated that even evaporust has its kryptonite, do we pro-rate the portions of said crappy polish?
4. Do tetanus shots count as part of the budget? Uber rides home?
Just kidding in 3/4, sort of...1/2 are semi-serious questions...
I think the answers to these questions depend on how heavily you bribe the judge. With insufficient tribute, you may find yourself relegated and stripped of any honor and glory you would have attained. Certainly, you will not be eligible for any cash prizes. (This last part is OK, since there are no cash prizes.)
My approach in the past has been to apply a secret formula that calculates the strictness of my adherence to the rules as a product of how close I am to going over budget. With $50 left if the budget, I'll count the 34 cents I paid for dropout screws. With $2 left in the budget, I might arbitrarily decide that a set of used tires are worth $2. With nothing left in the budget, I might try to argue that paint is a cleaning supply.
At the end of the day, it's kind of like the rules for Eroica. If you ask, the rules are strictly applied (or not, depending on @
Narhay's whim). If you don't ask, you can probably get away with gluing toe clips onto your shoes and riding with clipless pedals -- it's been done. Ultimately, I think the rules are there for your enjoyment.