I'm not claiming to be a world renowned economist or an expert in weight-loss. I've never been a billionaire and I have always weighed just enough to have never been called fat by anyone. While what I am going to tell you will not make you super-rich or even rich and it will definitely NOT get you down to the weight of a super-model -- it's something that makes sense and will help a little.

What I am going to tell you is something you have probably never heard from an expert on TV or in any newspaper in Spanish or English. You definitely never heard President Bush or ANY U.S. president say this -- nor have you heard any governor or politician in Puerto Rico or the United States mention these money-saving, weight-losing tips.

You may hear concerns from time to time regarding status, a strike at UPR and other issues of the day voiced by Cardinal Luis Aponte Martínez and San Juan Archbishop Roberto González Nieves, but I cannot remember reading anything they have ever said about what I am going to discuss today.

If you watched the entire Billboard Latin Music Awards last night, not one person, not even Marc Anthony or Jennifer López mentioned what I will today. Actually they wouldn't need this advice anyway.

Like I said -- what I have to say will help just about everyone, but not too much. It will help just enough and just enough is A LOT better than nothing at all.

What I have known for years, and what I am going to share with you today, is something I happened to stumble across about 3 or 4 years ago on the U.S. Department of Energy website.

It doesn't mention ANYTHING about weight loss -- that's just something I'm throwing in at no extra charge this week.

Who knows! -- maybe someday soon all the info below will be converted into español along with converting gallons into liters and will appear on a listentothegringo.gobierno.pr website designed to SAVE a lot more than gasoline.

Here are some LOGICAL ways to BEAT the high cost of gasoline and at the same time -- BEATING THE ODDS of being injured or killed in a car accident . . .

DRIVER "A" DRIVES AN AVERAGE OF 80 MILES AN HOUR -- 
SPENDING $1,875.* PER YEAR FOR GASOLINE

DRIVER "B" DRIVES AN AVERAGE OF 55 MILES AN HOUR -- 
SPENDING $1,275.* PER YEAR FOR GASOLINE

DRIVING MORE EFFICIENTLY
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Drive Sensibly

Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than gas money.

- Fuel Economy Benefit: 5-33% 
- Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.11-$0.73 gallon

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Observe the Speed Limit

Gas mileage decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph. Each 5 mph you drive over 60 mph is like paying an additional $0.10 per gallon for gas. Observing the speed limit is also safer.

- Fuel Economy Benefit: 7-23% 
- Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.15-$0.51 gallon

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Avoid Excessive Idling

Idling gets 0 miles per gallon. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines.

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Use Cruise Control

Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas.

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Use Overdrive Gears

When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.


KEEPING YOUR CAR IN SHAPE
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Keep Your Engine Properly Tuned

Fixing a car that is noticeably out of tune or has failed an emissions test can improve its gas mileage by an average of 4.1 percent, though results vary based on the kind of repair and how well it is done. If your car has a faulty oxygen sensor, your gas mileage may improve as much as 40 percent.

- Fuel Economy Benefit: 4-40% 
- Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.09-$0.88 gallon

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Check & Replace Air Filters Regularly 

Replacing a clogged air filter can improve your car's gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. Your car's air filter keeps impurities from damaging the inside of your engine. Not only will replacing a dirty air filter save gas, it will protect your engine. 

- Fuel Economy Benefit: up to 10% 
- Equivalent Gasoline Savings: up to $0.22 gallon

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Keep Tires Properly Inflated

You can improve your gas mileage by around 3.3 percent by keeping your tires inflated to the proper pressure. Under-inflated tires can lower gas mileage by 0.4 percent for every 1 psi drop in pressure of all four tires. Properly inflated tires are safer and last longer.

- Fuel Economy Benefit: up to 3% 
- Equivalent Gasoline Savings: up to $0.07 gallon

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Use the Recommended Grade of Motor Oil

You can improve your gas mileage by 1-2 percent by using the manufacturer's recommended grade of motor oil. For example, using 10W-30 motor oil in an engine designed to use 5W-30 can lower your gas mileage by 1-2 percent. Using 5W-30 in an engine designed for 5W-20 can lower your gas mileage by 1-1.5 percent. Also, look for motor oil that says "Energy Conserving" on the API performance symbol to be sure it contains friction-reducing additives.

- Fuel Economy Benefit: 1-2% 
- Equivalent Gasoline Savings: $0.02-$0.04 gallon


PLANNING AND COMBINING TRIPS
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Combining errands into one trip saves you time and money. Several short trips taken from a cold start can use twice as much fuel as a longer multipurpose trip covering the same distance when the engine is warm. Trip planning ensures that traveling is done when the engine is warmed-up and efficient. 

With a little planning, you can avoid retracing your route and reduce the distance you travel as well. You'll not only save fuel, but also reduce wear and tear on your car.

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Commuting

If you can stagger your work hours to avoid peak rush hours, you'll spend less time sitting in traffic and consume less fuel. 

If you own more than one vehicle, drive the one that gets the best gas mileage whenever possible.

Consider telecommuting (working from home) if your employer permits it.

If possible, take advantage of carpools and ride-share programs. You can cut your weekly fuel costs in half and save wear on your car if you take turns driving with other commuters. Many urban areas allow vehicles with multiple passengers to use special High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.

Consider using public transit if it is available and convenient for you. The American Public Transit Transportation Association has links to information about public transportation in your state. 

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Traveling

A roof rack or carrier provides additional cargo space and may allow you to meet your needs with a smaller car. However, a loaded roof rack can decrease your fuel economy by 5 percent. Reduce aerodynamic drag and improve your fuel economy by placing items inside the trunk whenever possible.

Avoid carrying unneeded items, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 lbs in the trunk reduces a typical car's fuel economy by 1-2 percent.


CHOOSING A MORE EFFICIENT VEHICLE
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Thinking about buying a new vehicle?

FuelEconomy.gov has gas mileage estimates and more information for 1985-2005 model year cars.

Selecting which vehicle to purchase is the most important fuel economy decision you'll make. 

The difference between a car that gets 20 MPG and one that gets 30 MPG amounts to $550 per year (assuming 15,000 miles of driving annually and a fuel cost of $2.20). 

That's $2,200 extra in fuel costs in just four years!

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Most Fuel-Efficient 2005 Model Year Vehicles

Fuel Economy Guide Online Order Form
Or Call 1.800.423.1363

Use FuelEconomy.gov's "Find and Compare Cars" section to find the most fuel efficient vehicle that will meet your needs. Even within a size class, there is a tremendous range of MPGs to choose from. For example, similar 2005 model year compact cars range from 21 to 48 MPG. Choosing the 48 MPG car could save you hundreds of dollars in fuel costs each year.

I neglected to mention that there would be a test at the end of this week's commentary. It consists of only one question. You have 2 1/2 minutes to answer this question -- from the time you finish reading it. All answers can be e-mailed to me for grading. The results will be published in a few weeks.

Okay -- here's the question:

- WHO IS THE SMARTER DRIVER, DRIVER "A" or DRIVER "B"?

Note: Cost savings are based on an assumed fuel price of $2.20 gallon
Source: U.S. Department of Energy
* Savings are not accurate, I made them up -- but they probably are close. You can generally expect additional savings by receiving fewer speeding tickets, fewer hospitalizations / doctor visits and fewer funeral expenses.

As far as my weight-loss solution -- DRIVE LESS, WALK MORE!

Well, that's all folks! Until next Friday.

Keith


For motivational speeches, conferences, media requests and other things such as eating disorders, you'll have to contact someone else. My only qualifications for writing a weekly column are based solely upon having a lot of free time, unlimited Internet access and very little else.