  We have extended the variational perturbative theory based on the back ground
field method to include the optimized expansion of Okopinska and the post
Gaussian effective potential of Stansu and Stevenson. This new method provides
much simpler way to compute the correction terms to the Gausssian effective
action (or potential). We have also renormalized the effective potential in 3+1
dimensions by introducing appropriate counter terms in the lagrangian
