Member Reviews

I received an advanced digital copy of this book to review. My kids are grown and out of the house but I found some useful tips in this book to save money. She wrote this book to encourage young mothers that indeed they can stay home. I think this book is useful for even people who do not have children yet. It would be useful for the newlywed to read so that they can prepare to stay at home when children come along. It is a useful book chocked full of tips even if a couple chooses to never have children. Erin Odom is a woman of faith and it shows through in her writing but even if you do not share her faith a person could benefit from this book. I highly recommend this book.

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You Can Stay Home With Your Kids is the latest book from blogger and author Erin Odom. As a stay at home mom, I truly appreciate this little book and recommend it to anyone looking for simple ways to trim their budget. This book is highly beneficial in content and design as it is divided into chapters with short sections that don’t take much time to read. Erin is a stay at home mom with four children so she has experience when it comes to finding unique ways to save money.

Unlike many books on finance in which the reader is offered tips that will require much time to pass before receiving a return on their investment, this book is very practical and many of the tips can be applied right away. One of my favorite tips was about using Swap.com, an online consignment store for all ages and genders. I had never heard of Swap prior to reading You Can Stay Home With Your Kids so I decided to give it a try and I was ecstatic to purchase 16 items of clothing for under $100. This example is one of many offered in the book. Erin also includes DIY ideas for making household items using ingredients you probably already have on hand. I was excited about this portion of the book since I make some of my own household detergents.

Another aspect of the book I truly appreciate is the aesthetic appeal. The cover design is beautiful as are the pages inside. As the mother of a toddler who is constantly getting into my books, I really appreciate that the book includes a ribbon bookmark. You Can Stay Home With Your Kids is just under $15 on Amazon and I truly believe that the small investment in purchasing your copy will reap large dividends in the long run.

I received You Can Stay Home With Your Kids compliments of Zondervan in exchange for my honest review.

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As a stay at home mom, trying to learn how to continue to stay home is what I was looking for. We homeschool and so trying to find a job around that and my husband being gone 5 days a week. But this book gave me some good ideas and even got me excited about starting up my own business. If you are a big family, small family or looking to stay home with your kids, this is the book for you!,

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Fantastic read. Great for mums like me. Full of interesting information, It contains practical, bite-sized ideas of how to make ends meet if it truly is your desire to stay home with your kids but you aren’t sure how it could possibly work.

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publisher synopsis: Investing your life in your family brings you joy, and doing it on a single income doesn’t need to stress you out! Join Erin Odom as she shows you how you can live frugally—and thrive—while you raise your kids at home in You Can Stay Home with Your Kids!

From the moment you discovered you were going to be a mom, you envisioned spending each day with your kids, guiding, teaching, and loving them. But diapers, wipes, shoes, and braces are expensive! Though it may feel impossible to manage on one income, Erin Odom from The Humbled Homemaker blog is here to show you that, through God’s grace, staying at home with your kids isn’t just doable; it’s doable while living the good life. Your kids are young only once—you don’t have to miss out just because money is tight.

Erin shares 100 tips, tricks, and simple ways that she has provided the good life on a budget for her family—and you can do the same!

Sections include topics like:


making and sticking to a budget
side income ideas
inexpensive ways to do birthday parties
educational and enrichment activities for little ones that won’t break the bank
date ideas and other ways to connect with your spouse without spending a lot
planning for holidays
and much more!
Experience the freedom, flexibility, and joy that come with being a hands-on mom and spending every day guiding, enjoying, and nurturing your kids, while still providing a lifestyle you can be proud of.


This book was an amazing wealth of awesome ideas to decrease your monthly expenses and stay home with your kids. While I do a lot of the ideas listed already, i did pick up some ideas to try out. Wonderful ideas! I know a lot of people want to stay at home and this book is a great resource to helping your dream come true.

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review.

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After reading Erin's other book, More Than Just Making It, I was excited to read this title. I read it all in one day. Each tip is easy to read and comes with practical encouragement for using the tip in your own life. This is a wonderful resource for a parent looking to reduce expenses and spend more time with their kids. This book shows that with a little encouragement, creativity, and determination, you can do it. I encourage you if you're a mom or dad with the desire to spend more time at home and less time at work, get this book. You won't be disappointed. It's filled with practical, doable tips to reduce spending and be able to spend time on the things that matter.

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"You Can Stay Home with Your Kids".  Don't let this title deceive you.  Although Erin Odom fills this book with 100 tips, tricks and ways to make staying home with your kids possible, the same 100 suggestions can be used in any situation to help you save money.  , The book is sectioned by topic with chapter titles such as "Eat Well on a Budget" and  "Provide for Health-Care Needs", and each topic has several tips and tricks. At the end of each chapter there is a prompt that motivates you to take action.

This is an excellent book to read before making the decision to quit a job and stay home with your kids. The introduction gives important transition advice which may prevent you from possible financial problems.  Once you've made the decision to stay home, Erin Odom helps you to do more than just make it.  Her tips can help you thrive while being home with your kids.

"You Can Stay At Home with Your Kids" is not another book that debates whether or not a mother should work outside the home.  It's just a support book for those who choose to stay home.  Because I've been a stay-at-home mom and a working mom, I can say that the helps in this book are key.  Some are basic but some will be new and beneficial to even the experienced penny pincher.

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from Zondervan through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Personal Rating: 4.25                Star Rating:  4/5

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I suppose that someone who was raised with a silver spoon would be unaware of these ideas, but for most of us (or, I think, most of us), this is all common sense. This is how we were raised. I did not see any new ideas in here that we don't already do, and have always done.

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I wish I would have had this book when I was a new mom. Sure, a lot of this information is available elsewhere, but what young mom has the time to find it? The author describes 100 tips for moms to reduce household expenses, increase income and eventually, how to live off of one income. I've read several of the author's books, so her story isn't new to me, but this little book is still a great resource to inspire small steps that add up to real changes. The section on health care was brand new information for me, and I plan to research those tips to see if they will work for my family.

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There are many tips in the book that can save you money. Most of it boils down to thrift philosophy of living. DIY hand soap, tile cleaners, air fresheners and the attitude is cool.

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This book is such a great gift to get or give. Without even mentioning the content yet, can I just say the overall look is adorable! But then the inside definitely does not disappoint either. Filled with ideas to implement as you read along without any overwhelm this is a simple but content packed easy read.

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You Can Stay Home With Your Kids! By Erin Odom is a new book that releases on April 10th. I was able to read it as part of the launch team. It was a timely read for me since I am a new stay at home mom and living on one income. It was written in small chapters with practical advice to save money. I personally already used most of her tips. I would recommend it for anyone that is interested in ways to cut costs or to save money, not just couples with kids. She had recipes for DIY household cleaners and links for sites to help you save money.

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Great tips! I like what is in this book and plan on using all the authors suggestions. I’ve read a lot of financial books and this is by far the best. I like how the information is organized and how she lays it out. Easy to understand and easy to do. She also has links/passwords to her website that provide supplement material to print. I plan on reading her other books as well. Highly recommend!!!

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Excellent. So practical. So full of grace. Just what families need.

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I was thrilled to be on the launch team for this book. I received an advanced copy for my fair and honest review. Erin Odom’s book gives wonderful advice and tips on how you can stay home with your kids. From ideas to save money to making money, this book covers it all, the conversational nature of the book makes it one worth reading. The practical advice and tone make you feel as though you are sitting around a table with Erin listening to her wonderful advice. It is the perfect follow-up to her book "More Than Just Making It". This book is definitely worth reading.

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This book is easy to read and practical! Just what every hectic mom needs! BUT this book is NOT just for moms, there are a lot of tips in here that my cheap penny pinching college self could have used too! This book applies to anyone trying to make things work on a budget.

Erin’s advice is short and sweet and oh so easy to implement. She offers creative ideas to make life on a budget work so that you can stay home with your kids.

She is not bossy in her wisdom (as some books can be) but rather expands on ideas that have worked for her and her family. This is not a financial go-to book but it’s perfect for staying IN the budget that other books have helped set.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author in exchange for my review, all opinions are my own.

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This book is excellent for anyone who is new to saving money and having to live frugally. You will glean so many ideas and so much inspiration. Many of these ways are how we've been able to live on a tight budget over the years and be able to save and pay off our house. Love that there is also a chapter on increasing your income.

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I was blessed to have the chance to read this book through an advanced reader copy and I was excited for another amazing book from author of More Than Just Making It, Erin Odom!

Where her first book left off - this book continues with practical hints and tips on how to save money so you can stay home with your kids and be successful at it. 100 ideas and ways to make practical decisions to manage your budget so you can enjoy a life at home while raising your kids.

This adorable book is helpful and useful and a great read for someone considering taking that leap, which isn't as big of a leap when you read these pages. I love Erin's openness about using these tips herself and how they helped her family and how they can help readers too. Wanting to stay home with your kids while they are young shouldn't be a burden on a family who really wants this to work and these tips can prove that!!

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I was really excited to be on the launch team for this book - I received an advance copy. I really enjoyed Erin’s first book (More Than Just Making It), and she brings the same spirit of encouragement and inspiration to this book.

If you’re looking to stay home with your kids, but you’re not sure if it fits in the budget or how to make it work, Erin has 100 tips and tricks with actual specific steps you can take. Some are little, like making your own cleaners. Some are big, like features to look for in a house, or how to shop for health insurance. But whether you’ve been a stay-at-home mom for years, or you’re just starting out, something in this book will be helpful for you.

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