I don’t see how company is saving a buck or two? They owe you a positive space seat. Depending on your airline policy, it’s up to you to use it or not. They owe you a hotel and a pos space ride DH back to base. If you’re cutting out the night before because it helps you, and you personally jumpseat home offline, then what does it matter what happened to the original seat? In your original scenario they couldn’t fly you because you timed out (DH at end of FDP is not duty per FDP). But anyway I don’t see a problem.