This morning after I made Billy's sandwich and sent him off to work, I sat down on the couch with a quilt and some coffee, ready for a little me time. It wasn't long before I heard that little cry from my boys' room, and Jase came toddling into the living room with his two "beebees" (what he calls his favorite blankets), and climbed up in my lap for snuggles. It's been our routine this week during our Easter break.

As I sat there snuggling my usually non-snuggly child, I thought about just how much I love being a mom. I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to stay at home with my kids. It's not easy, and we sacrifice a lot to make it possible. We don't eat out at fancy restaurants, and we buy a lot of our groceries at Aldi. We don't take fancy vacations. We never go shopping just to buy random things, and never pay full price for new clothes. Afternoons spent wandering the aisles of Target? Not for me! If we need work done our home, or even need something new, we always try to DIY before we buy.

We have decided it's worth the trade-off.

I know that staying home with your kids isn't for everyone. Not every mom wants to, and not every family can afford it. I'm not here to tell you that it's the lifestyle for everyone. But, if you really want to stay home, there are ways that you can make it happen.

Erin Odom from The Humbled Homemaker has written a brand-new book to show you how. You Can Stay Home With Your Kids is a beautiful book packed with 100 ideas to help you make it happen on a tight budget. You see, Erin has been there.

In her first book, More Than Just Making It, Erin told of the financial struggles that she and her husband went through several years ago. She wrote about how they signed up for food stamps, applied for WIC and how they really struggled to make ends meet. More Than Just Making It is a great book for people who are financially struggling, and feel as if there's no hope. Erin and her family are proof that there is. (You can read my full review here.)

You Can Stay Home With Your Kids takes a different approach to financial struggles. Can you reasonably be able to stay home with your kids if you're struggling to make ends meet already? Erin says you can, and after reading this book (as well as living a lot of it over the last four years), I definitely agree.

There are certainly tips that you'd probably expect from a book like this--saving money on groceries, buying second-hand clothes, skipping restaurants. All of those are great, really workable ideas. But, Erin's book has ninety-seven more! You Can Stay Home With Your Kids has one hundred ideas for helping you figure out ways to save, and make, money to make your dream of being a SAHM a reality for you.

Erin goes into great detail about saving money on food and clothes, but there are also tips for saving money on bigger purchases like furniture, cars and even houses. There's info about saving on healthcare costs, from health insurance, to contacts, to medicine, to dental visits--and more! There is also info and encouragement for bartering and trading for bigger items you may need.

My favorite part of this book is the chapter about ways to make money as a SAHM. I think so many women don't consider this option. They think that being a SAHM means having no way to help or contribute to their families' income. But, in today's world, there are so many options available that haven't existed in the past! There are a lot of ways for moms to be able to make money, while still staying home. Erin gives such practical advice about working from home, and how to make it work, but she also offers ideas for jobs that you may be interested in doing.

I have stayed at home since before my kids were born. I've tried a lot of the ideas from this book before. But there were some I'd never considered before, and I can't wait to try them! I see things that can make a difference for us in the future!

Being a stay-at-home mom isn't easy for a lot of people. It is a financial struggle, and does require sacrifice, but there is one major key to making it work. Erin says, "You can realize the freedom of living within your means and practicing contentment." We can learn to live a life that's good--great, even--without having to have the best of everything. We can raise happy, healthy kids, without giving them every little thing they desire. We can be happy driving older cars, living in smaller houses, and eating at home. When we learn to give up things we don't need, we can find a truly happy life that we love, being home with our kids!

Maybe you're a stay-at-home mom who's struggling to make ends meet. Maybe you want to be able to leave your job and stay at home with your kids, but you just don't think you can swing it financially. Mama, don't give up on that dream. Give it to the Lord, and trust Him to work it out for you. Psalm 37:4 says, "Delight thyself also in the Lord; and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart." He sees your desire, and He can show you how to get there, if you're willing to do your part to work for it.

I highly recommend You Can Stay Home With Your Kids for any mother who stays home, or who wants to. It can be truly life-changing if you take it to heart and implement the ideas. It's beautifully written, but also beautifully put together. It's a gift book, so it's made for easy reading, and it's so pretty you can lay it on your coffee table for continuous inspiration! It's would make a wonderful gift for any SAHM!

You can order you copy of You Can Stay Home With Your Kids by clicking here.



I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for this review. All opinions are my own, and a favorable review was not required. This post contains affiliate links.

I really enjoyed this gift book from Erin Odum, who also writes The Humbled Homemaker Blog. I have already read her "More Than Just Making It" book on financial freedom, and it was a true blessing to me.

This book is much in the same vein, but different in the way it is presented. Beautifully done up as a gift book, "You Can Stay Home With Your Kids" offers practical ways you can eliminate extra spending, tighten your belt and afford to be a stay at home mom.

While Erin understands that not everyone thinks they can afford to stay home, there might be some new ideas here that could allow a mom whose heart's desire is to be at home with their kids to do so. I love the conversational tone of the book, Erin always writes like you're speaking to a friend who has been where you are. There are 100 tips that can help in this book!

This would be a perfect gift for a friend or a new mommy who is dreading the idea of leaving her littles to go back to work. They are truly only little for a short time, and this book can be an empowering resource to moms who might want to leave the workforce. Filled with hope and encouragement, this is a great book!

If you are wanting to be a stay at home mom but are concerned that you can't because of finances? This book is full of tips and ways to make changes that will help you achieve that goal. The author has tips on curbing your spending, being creative with cooking and making healthier meals on a budget. I am beginning to see how making these changes in my life are going to free me up in many areas.

You Can Stay Home with Your Kids expands on some of the ideas in Erin’s first book, More Than Just Making It. This is a well-organized book with 100 or more actionable ideas for saving or making money. There are eight sections in the book: Curb Spending; Eat Well on a Budget; DIY Household; Entertainment; Shop Secondhand; Health; Houses and Vehicles; and Create More Income. Chances are that if you implement even one of these ideas, you will more than get your money back on the cost of this book. There are also additional resources available on-line for book purchasers.

While the book is written from the perspective of a stay-at-home mother, the majority of the ideas contained will work well for anyone. There are some money saving ideas that specifically apply to parents with small children or to married couples, but childless couples and singles will equally benefit from most of the money saving and income-producing ideas.

Most of the ideas in this book are not unique to Erin and could be found on-line or in some other books, but the reader would have to search a lot and be diligent to find them. This book could be a very useful guide to spark money-saving ideas for the reader. Because this is a book designed with numerous “tips”, it does not give a detailed implementation plan, especially in the income-earning section.

I first became aware of Erin Odom and her website The Humbled Homemaker, as a fellow member of the writing group Hope*Writers. I was a member of the launch team for Erin’s previous book More Than Just Making It. I immediately connected with Erin’s heart for her family and her interest in both saving money and making an income from home. Although my current career is as a nutritionist, I was previously a college financial administrator. I have an MBA in Finance, am a mother with two children and have taught (and lived) most of the money-saving ideas in this book.

Save yourself some time and money by learning from Erin Odom. Buy this book.

WOW!! So many things I’ve learned through reading Erin’s Book!! “You Can Stay Home With Your Kids” is an excellent book for stay-at-home Moms, working Moms, and really any Mom! Erin includes so many tips and tricks that you can easily implement into your family to make life more manageable. I’ve followed her blog, The Humbled Homemaker, for a couple of years now and simply love how she was able to incorporate a lot of her own personal experiences through this book. The action steps that I have already used have made an immediate difference in our family and some of the choices we make. Erin’s thoughts on how to “Curb Your Spending” have made a difference in my grocery buying/spending and in seeing where my money goes and how I can stretch it farther. As a stay-at-home Mom, myself, I can see me using these tools to help me and our family for a long time to come!

Something for EVERYONE to make your DREAM a REALITY!

When I first wanted to stay home with my son 3 years ago, my husband told me to find a way to make it work financially. I did a lot of research on ways to frugally live on one income, and I implemented many of these tips and tricks to make it a possibility for me and my family. The awesome thing about this book is that these tips and tricks - and many more! - are all compiled in this beautiful, concise, and easy to read book! This was a much-needed refresher for me to remember my why and to focus on living with less so I can stay home with my kids. But this book is not just for stay at home moms. This book has something for everyone, so no matter what season of life you are in, there are great tips to help you live frugally, save money and reach your financial goals!

Not JUST for Stay at Home Moms! This book is for EVERYONE!
I started reading this book thinking it would be more along the lines of a guide for Stay at Home moms in a way. What is really in these pages is great tips and tricks for anyone! Even if you have no monetary concerns there is something in here for you I am sure.
I try to be fiscally responsible as well as environmentally responsible. This book served as a great reminder of how we can live with less. we can so easily be caught up in the want to have mindset we forget the difference between want and need.
Erin Odom helps to pave a great foundation of things to consider as an adult or soon to be adult. I wish I had Erin's advice years ago bit so glad to have it now.