So it’s tax time and you’re trying to figure out how to distinguish a direct expense and need examples of direct expenses. What a debacle! While trying to figure out how to distinguish between direct and indirect expenses can be difficult, it doesn’t have to be. A direct expense is, quite simply, an expense that relates directly to your business, or if you work from home, to the part of your home that you use for your business. This article will give some examples of direct expenses.