re: Oversold Flights: At what price offer will you take a later flight?

After spending the afternoon picking up a tux, practice rehearsal where I was the only groomsmen there, and setting up an ipad as a camera I should've just taken the damn money and gotten here now...

Schedule > $ when working (I fly as a consultant)... Assuming I am flying to the client and not home

$ > Schedule (some limitations) when personal travel

I understand the over book aspect and as someone else stated they should have an idea of who is on site or flights delayed. I've missed flights because of being delayed and stayed the night but never took the voucher to stay a night. What I don't understand is I was waiting to board one night and they asked for three volunteers to spend the night (last flight to that destination that night) for money hotel food ect. When we pushed away from the gate there were 7 empty seats. What gives with that. I know there are weight and balances but it was an hour to hour and a half flight they could have reduced the amount of fuel taken on for weight purposes.