Now that you aced Frugality 101, you're ready for senior level Cheapology.  If you were an outlandish spender, no doubt your new penny pinching ways have reaped huge rewards.  You may be seeking the next echelon in your quest to become the ultimate tightwad.

Just how much are you willing to cut in order to be the most frugal person on the block?  If you're ready for the big leagues, get started with the following 12 tips.

1. Move into an RV.
If you are willing to forsake the traditional house, go for a recreational vehicle.  You can rent a space for dirt cheap, scale back on extra junk you'd buy to fill a house, and have a prepaid hotel for cross country trips.  Not ideal for families with children, but a surefire way to save your money and retire ultra early.

2. Save all plastics.
Keep those tortilla, newspaper, and bread bags to use as homemade leftover or sandwich bags.  Never toss plastic ware--wash it off like Grandma does!  Glass and plastic jars make great containers for storing leftovers and are much more sturdy than the Ziplock tossables.  

3. Reuse cooking oil.
Keep a small bin and pour your oil into it after cooking.  As long as you don't heat the oil past it's smoke point temperature (each oil is specific), it won't go rancid and you can continue using it.  

4. Train the cat to use the toilet.
Litter is ridiculously expensive and a total pain to clean.  If you are unfortunate enough to cohabitate with a feline, as I am, make him use the potty.  Position his litter box next to the toilet.  Over time slowly raise it up to the height of the seat, an inch or two a day.  Move it directly on the toilet then replace the box with a metal mixing bowl filled with two inches of litter.  Help your cat position his feet on the lid so he can relieve himself in security.  Slowly replace the litter with water so he becomes accustomed to his new waste system.  After a few weeks Kitty will save you big bucks on litter.

5. If it's yellow, let it mellow.
Brown?  Flush it down.  Save up to six gallons of water per use.

The long days of summer are finally here. Plan now to make the most of them before they’re gone! Consider the following economical ideas to make this a year to remember.

1. Hit the beach!
If you live within driving distance of the beach, pack your lunch, sunscreen and floaties for the kids and plan to spend part of the day. Make sure to bring a camera to capture the fun-in-the-sun moments. Then, take a lazy drive along the coast and soak in the sites. Return home that evening instead of paying to spend the night at a hotel.

2. Help someone.
Make a list of three people that you can help with resources you already have – whether it be mowing a yard for a widow or making dinner for a new mother – and let your family choose which good deed to do first.

3. Stay up all night!
Pick a rainy Friday night and get the girls or guys together for a movie marathon. Add popcorn, sodas and big floor pillows and you’re set.

4. Declutter.
Use your weekends to declutter your house and reorganize. Plan a yard sale or contribute your castoffs to a local charity like Goodwill.

5. Get in shape!
Take advantage of the warm temperatures and try a new exercise hobby like biking, running or hiking at a local nature reserve.

There’s no formula or secret method to live beneath your means. Like losing weight, basic principals govern the change: burn more calories than you take in. With living frugally, spend less than you earn. While old habits die hard, you can change your lifestyle and actually enjoy the benefits money can bring.

1. It’s not having what you want, but wanting what you have
Regularly take inventory of your possessions. Clean out your closets and sell or donate anything you don’t use on a regular basis or won’t need in case of an emergency.

2. Don’t compare yourselves among yourselves, as the Bible wisely instructs
Expensive and new stuff do not make happy families, no matter what your neighbors or friends look like. The ideal American couple with a newer model car, gas-guzzling SUV, three-bedroom home, two kids, and a vacation timeshare in Orlando is probably up to their ears in debt. Be content with what you have and don’t let the pressure of marketers tell you you’re living less than the abundant life God promises you.

3. Think before you buy
Living beneath your means simply means knowing the difference between our wants and needs and spending accordingly. Before you buy, ask yourself these questions:

Eating out has become an expensive proposition these days, particularly for a family with kids. Unless you plan to hit a restaurant with a five dollar meal, chances are eating out will leave a large dent in your wallet. However, there are a few techniques to employ that will help keep your restaurant bill low.

1. Dine out only on “kids eat free” nights
Many restaurants now offer one day of the week when kids can eat free, or for $0.99. Plan your meals out around these nights to save money on kid’s meals.

2. Order water instead soda
The other night my family went out to celebrate a birthday and one member of our party ordered a Coca Cola - $2.22. Now, I love an ice cold soft drink as much as the next guy, but I could nearly buy a whole fridge pack from the grocery store for that! That’s why we stick to ordering water when we eat out.

3. Order an appetizer as an entrée
Appetizers are usually cheaper than entrees, and often times they have enough food to be substituted for a full entrée. Look for appetizers that offer a variety of food groups, such as nachos or quesadillas (meat, cheese, greens, sour cream, etc.).  It’s not so easy to make an entire, balanced meal out of fried cheese sticks.

Saving money has never been easier than it is now. Technology, especially the iPhone, has given us new, more convenient ways to save money. Check out these 5 money saving applications.

1. Coupon Sherpa
Coupon Sherpa makes hundreds of in-store coupons available to you right on your iPhone. Show your iPhone at checkout to get a discount at many of the most popular stores. Coupon Sherpa has the potential to save people hundreds of dollars every year.

Download Coupon Sherpa


2. Kids Eat Free
This app helps you find restaurants near you that have free meals for kids. They claim to have a list of 8,000 restaurants in the United States. Users are encouraged to submit restaurants that may not be on the app. Give it a try if you eat out a lot and have children.

Download Kids Eat Free

Even though the economy is in the dumps, take heart!  We live in the land of plenty and we have many ways to stretch the dollar before going hungry. Nearly 64% of Americans are cutting back on household purchases to stay afloat during difficult financial times. If you are feeling the recession inducing crunch on your bank account, start thinking about small changes you can make to live on less. Here are some of the more profitable ways.