Reddit mentions of George Washington's Expense Account

There are some different views on how well GW dealt with money and his expense account during his years of leading the army. Some feel that congress insisted he be paid instead of just having his expenses paid due to his use of his expense account during the war.

Please see
http://www.amazon.com/George-Washingtons-Expense-Account-Washington/dp/0802137733

http://www.historyhouse.com/in_history/washington/

Basically he made about 10 times as much having his "expenses" paid as he would have is he was paid what he was supposed to be paid as head of the army.

This isn't the first time something like that has happened. George Washington didn't want a salary as the first President of the United States. Instead, he just wanted an expense account. And boy, did he get it. He went nuts with the money, buying everything from booze, horses, spies, lavish parties, even ice cream (can you imagine how expensive ice cream was in colonial America?). There's an interesting book on the subject:

https://www.amazon.com/George-Washingtons-Expense-Account-Washington/dp/0802137733

It's been years since I read it, but I think the final sum was over 300k, a mind boggling amount of money back then.

http://www.amazon.com/George-Washingtons-Expense-Account-Washington/dp/0802137733

He actually declined payment and took an expense account instead...then blew all of it on anything and everything.

http://www.amazon.com/George-Washingtons-Expense-Account-Washington/dp/0802137733

Like I said, there are many books you can read if you're interested.

First result on amazon
>In George Washington's Expense Account -- the best-selling expense account in history -- Kitman shows how Washington brilliantly turned his noble gesture of refusing payment for his services as commander in chief of the Continental Army into an opportunity to indulge his insatiable lust for fine food and drink, extravagant clothing, and lavish accommodations. In a close analysis of the document that financed our Revolution, Kitman uncovers more scandals than you can shake a Nixon Cabinet member at -- and serves each up with verve and wit.