162 comments

1. I keep a squeegee in the shower and clean as I go. It helps out a ton! :)

2. I use just a dab of toothpaste to brush my teeth. We use half-sheets of paper towel

3. I take turns taking my grandchildren, so the parents have a date night and I get to have quality time with my grandchildren individually.

4. To help my kids get more micronutrients I sprinkle spirulina on their popcorn. Great for afterschool snacks, and even as a side dish for dinner!

5. I stick to a weekly menu plan by cooking meals ahead of time and freezing them, keeps me on a budget when I also have to run to the grocery store. saves time and money.

6. I make sure I give each of my kids special separate attention everyday even if it’s just a few minutes at bed time.

7. The little bit I do that goes a long way is using laundry day as a means to catch up with friends of mine who I haven’t spoken with in awhile. Whether through phone calls or inviting them to bring their laundry to my building (or mine to theirs) I use the day to fellowship with them while we both work on our chores. So when the day is over, we can look back on the time spent together as opposed to the need for clean clothing. It takes the bore of out of the chore.

8. I fold and put away laundry a few pieces at a time so I’m not making a mountain of laundry into a impossible mountain of folded laundry.

9. I spray our Play-Doh with a few squirts of water after using them so they stay soft and moist.

10. I try to plan my trips out so I can save on fuel.

11. I lay everyone’s clothes out at night. It means I have to think a lot less in the morning when things are already crazy.

12. I peel and then freeze my over ripe bananas (too brown or mushy for my liking) then pop them in the blender for smoothies.

13. I empty the dishwasher before work so don’t have to look at dishes when I get home!

14. I add water to the coffee pot every night and get our mugs ready with sweetener so that my dear husband and I can ingest sweet, precious caffeine as quickly as possible in the mornings. It’s the small things!

15. I reserve at least one hour every day of “Mom Time” per child where they choose the activity and get my undivided attention. This little hour brings me (and hopefully them) infinite happiness each day.

16. I make a handful of different cards at the beginning of the year and store in a box. When someone has a birthday or anniversary, I just sign and drop in the mail.

17. One little thing I do that goes a long way is to make sure my bedroom is tidy almost all the time! It’s easy to pile things in there and only clean/tidy up the other rooms (for guests). This is the last place you see when you close eyes at night and first place when you open them in the morning!

18. Sometimes, when making dinner, I make a double batch to put one in the freezer. That goes a long way to making my life easier and a good dinner when life gets busy, or to be able to give to a friend who needs a little help.

19. Yoga

20. Laying out my outfit the night before!

21. I give my son half juice and half water. This allows the juice to last longer. I also clean my dishes after each meal that way I dont have a sink of dishes by night time.

22. I like to turn leftovers into homemade soup. Small amounts of leftover meat and lots of veggies including the leaves of celery etc. can create delicious soups for meals.

23. I prepare my outfit at night so that I can dress quickly in the AM (and press snooze once or twice!) :)

24. I had an artist friend draw whimsical little animals on small cards, which I had laminated. I use a dry erase marker and write messages to my son on the back. It’s a simple and sweet addition to his lunchbox and reminds him that I’m thinking of him even when we are apart.

25. One roasted chicken yields several meals when you make your own stocks and soups.

26. I stop what I am doing and give all my attention to the child who is talking to me. It is a small thing that has unmeasurable value.

27. I do everyday little things like pay for someone else’s meal behind me, Help someone stuck in snow. Little efforts like that, im sure go a long way in the eyes of the receiver.

28. I tidy as I move about the house.

29. Before bed, my son, my husband & I pick out our clothes for the next day. It saves us time in the morning when we are rushing to get ready for school/work.

30. During the week we set the timer for 15 minutes and clean as much as we can in that time. You can get a lot done in that amount of time!!

31. I always do meal planning before going to the grocery store. Taking a few minutes to plan meals saves me a lot of $$$.

32. I’ve learned that a little food prep on the weekends goes a very long way in keeping me out of the drive through!

33. I try to make an extra big batch of pancakes on the weekend so I can freeze left overs. During the week I pull them out and microwave for 20-30 seconds for quick home made pancakes.

34. I am the organizer of the Girls’ Night Out for my friends. Everyone is so busy. We are a difficult group to get together but it is so worth it for our mental health.

35. I make my own foaming hand soap with shampoo and my own lotions, lip balms and scalp conditioners with coconut oil. It’s so much cheaper and a little goes a long way! We also water down our juices because it makes it last longer and juices really tend to be too sweet for my family.

36. Little things I do, cleaning wise, so it doesn’t get overwhelming, is doing a load of wash once it’s full so it doesn’t build up. It helps my husband and I keep on track in the house :)

37. I fill my dishwashers rinse-aid container with half vinegar, half rinse-aid. Vinegar is cheaper and my dishes look clearer.

38. Clean as I go! It makes such a difference (especially in my least favorite room to clean, the bathroom) when it’s been tidied/counters have been cleaned along the way!

39. What a fun craft!!

40. When I was a child my best memories were of my mother playing school or store with me. I don’t think she realized how much that meant to me at the time. Now I have two beautiful kids of my own and I try and play with them as much as I can. My daughter is a huge fan of playing things like school, store, doctor, etc. My son is more of cops and robbers, ninjas, or superheros :) . Their faces are just beaming with happiness so I know that just a little bit of my time not acting like an adult (which I must admit is good for an adult to do from time to time) goes such a long way with children these days. I know how hard it is sometimes to find the time with work, chores, your phone constantly going off, etc. But I’m sure we all know how far it goes if we set aside 10 minutes a day to act like the hulk or have a tea party. Better yet, you could be the hulk at the tea party :D!!!

41. a 5 minute power clean everyday….makes a huge difference!

42. I meal plan to save on groceries and cut down on impulse buys.

43. By having my own garden and raising our own animals….we have meat and veggies all year without buying at the grocery store! A little goes all year!

44. I do the dishes every morning, a load of laundry each day and one whole room each weekday. It is SO EASY if I keep up with (1 hour a day tops!). It leaves me plenty of time to work on school during the day, my clean freak husband doesn’t have more work to do when he gets home and my kids have a safe environment to play in. Then we get to relax in our nice clean home all weekend long!

45. I clean as I make dinner and have my toddler help me with easy tasks while cooking (like crushing cornflakes in a bag for breading). It makes dinner and cleanup super fast.

46. I try to prep food on the weekend so that my weekday goes so much smoother

47. I feel like random acts of kindness go a lot farther than you would expect

48. 1. Concentrated cleaning products 2. Most important, praying and talking with tween before she goes to sleep every night!

49. I write little notes for husband, family, friends, and coworkers so they know they’re appreciated.

50. I clip and print coupons and save lots of money this way

51. We like to use a little extra water to make things go “just a little further”…dish soap, shampoo, & even juice!

52. I add water to my favorite room spray, hair products, etc. to make them last a little bit longer.

53. We have a large bowl that has healthy (for the most part) snacks in it that the boys can choose from. I use the snack size zip locks to put different mixes of crackers, nuts, m & m’s, pretzels, etc. Buying the bulk or boxes saves money and goes a long way in comparison to buying the single servings. *can’t wait to try this puffy paint with my students!

54. I live by the rule “a little goes a long way!” I keep little bits of leftovers in the fridge and then make fried rice or a soup out of the extra meat and veggies. It’s a great way to stick to my grocery budget.

55. I’m trying to learn to plan meals better and packing things like hamburger in one pound packages and throwing them in the deep freeze helps ration food longer. Using things like refried beans in hamburger for tacos allows for me to use less meat, thus making it last longer.

56. I make sure to use no more than a quarter size of shampoo and conditioner! Also adding water at the end to make sure I use it all makes it go a long way.

57. I dilute juices with extra water for my family.

58. The crockpot and some good recipes can make a great, affordable dish that lasts us for several days. Plus not as much time cooking means more time for fun stuff :)

59. Whenever I buy something canned I pick up a few more than I need. It’s an easy way to build up my food storage!

60. I save chicken bones/carcasses and veggie scraps and make my own chicken broth. It’s a great way to get the most out of your food!

61. I prepare everyone’s lunchboxes, set my coffee maker to brew and have my kids choose their clothes for the next day as well as prepare their backpacks the night before . This goes a long way every morning as there is ess things to worry about and stress levels are way down during the morning rush to get everyone up, ready and out the door.

62. I thought the question was what would I do with a $300 Gift Card? I would use it to stock my pantry and get supplies to do home canning.

63. I make coffee at home instead of buying it every morning – its quick to set the pot up the night before and it saves lots of time and money.

64. When I open a box of dryer sheets I cut them all in half this way they last twice as long plus they work just as good as a whole sheet….a little goes a long way :)

65. I make ahead meals and freeze them!!! Makes for less stress when you don’t have much time.

66. Little things I do that go a long way, is cooking extra. It either provides a meal for someone that needs it, freezes for later use, or is great leftovers for a quick meal.

67. I use coupons to help cut our grocery bill.

68. If I had a $300 Target gift card, I’d buy some groceries, maybe a goofy tshirt and use the rest for clothes for my little girl.

69. Cleaning a little bit as I go goes a long way when it’s cleaning day!

70. For me, it’s giving my 2 children each one-on-one attention nearly every day…that goes a LONG way for all of us in creating family peace and having fun together…days go much smoother that way and tons more gets done!

71. I make homeade cards and little 3d items for friends and family, and send them whenever the mood tricks. My family and friends know I’m thinking of them. I make extras to place on our guests pillows, welcoming them into our home!

72. I love coupon shopping, shopping sales and clearance items. Stocking up on everyday items at rock bottom prices helps me save $ which allows me to be a stay at home mom. I also feel blessed to be at home and able to give my children the individual attention they need.

73. Weekly meal planning to make sure we eat healthy and not to waste food while staying on budget.

74. Say yes–even when you’ve got to clean, or make dinner–the kids, the husband, the dog, they need to hear yes sometimes too.

75. I send my girlfriends for ever holiday! I love to get mail, and it’s something I started last year!!

76. Our budget is tight so I’ve made a conscious effort to make little changes to make our money go further–things like clipping coupons, using loyalty cards, shopping sales, buying discounted gift cards to places I know I will be shopping. My goal is to never pay full price for anything if possible. Lots of little savings add up. Thanks!

77. I am a preschool teacher I try to greet my preschoolers everyday with a smile and a hug!

78. I reuse ziploc bags as long as they are not nasty.

79. I make my own foaming hand soap from dish soap in a great scent. The bottle lasts so long!!

80. Wiping down the toilet every night helps to keep it from getting really yucky!

81. When my kids get home from school or a friend’s or whatever I take 10 minutes to focus on what they have to say about their day/hour/etc. Hopefully, that little time I spent face-to-face, one-on-one undistracted can get them through the rest of the hectic day!

82. A little time spent playing with my cats can get me through the most miserable day. :)

83. I finish what I start before starting something new!!

84. For me one of the ways I make a little go a long way is by picking up supplies for my preschool classes at garage sales, Goodwill and Target has the best clearance sales. Every little bit helps.

85. Making my own bone broth from leftover chicken bones helps us have another meal(soup) plus it is super nutritious!

86. I read to my kids from the day they are born until they leave home! It’s been proven that reading aloud to your children gives them a head start in their own reading and writing abilities. Plus, reading aloud to our children builds relationships and lessons for a life time!

87. I clip coupons to use during shopping. Every little bit helps!

88. I buy a whole bag of onions at a time. I chop them all up and divide them by half-cups into snack-sized baggies. I flatten them and keep them in the freezer. Then I can pull a bag or two out and have chopped onions ready to go in any recipe in matter of seconds. That little bit of work goes a long way in the kitchen!

89. Clean up while I cook instead of leaving it all until the end!

90. I fill my sink with warm, soapy water before I begin cooking, and then put dirtied pots, pans, utensils in the water as I’m done cooking with them. It makes clean up go more quickly.

91. I make a monthly menu that takes 15 minutes and it makes it much easier to make dinner. Takes out the “what do we eat?” part of the day.

92. I make my lunch and put it in the refrigerator the night before. It really makes a big difference in the mornings when I don’t have to make my lunch.

93. I love to buy picture frames on sale and frame random items to personalize artwork.

94. I purchase dryer sheets in bulk, then I cut them in half…most loads do just fine using 1/2 dryer sheet!!! Lasts twice as long!!

95. I make homemade laundry detergent and each load only uses a very small scoop – a little goes a long way!

96. These are so fun. Love the bright and colorful designs. Making sure we get a little cuddle time with the kids each day makes a huge difference I think. A little goes a long way!

97. A little prep goes a long way. I prep everything the night before and the morning is SO MUCH easier!

98. We make homemade cards from the kids artwork.

99. I meal plan, make a list then stick to it at the store

100. I work for a non-profit Early Learning Center, and I have to purchase a lot of materials with my own money. I have started saving toilet paper rolls, jar lids, soda bottle tops. and packing bubbles to use in our craft area. There are so many amazing teachers that have posts on-line, with many awesome ideas for creative art projects. I have spent less money recently, and our art projects have been amazing!

101. Load of laundry start to finish each day. In theory I should never have unmanageable laundry.

102. I try new ways to add fresh things to side dishes. Also i try tohave one veggie meal twice a week.

103. When grocery shopping I only buy whats on sale. I make a weekly menu ahead of time. Before I head out I have coupons on my card and in my hand. I’ve been saving 25%-30%.

104. I work with high school kiddos as a school counselor, and the little thing that goes a long way is always having a open ear, an open door, and an open heart. Just listening goes a long way!!

105. Grow my own vegetables. Inexpensive packets of seeds provide long-term savings at the grocery store.

106. I love to bake homemade rolls! The ingredients are cheap and I make a big batch and split up the uncooked rolls into what our family eats, usually making four servings. I freeze the rest and when I want rolls for dinner, I pop them in the oven!

107. buy concentrated soaps :) clean often so we know whats available, food, toys, clothes etc!

108. When walking through the house, I make sure to take at least one item in the room that needs to be cleaned up (dirty glass, tissue, dish, old bill/letter, etc). I never leave a room without taking something – makes a little bit of cleaning go a long way. :)

109. I love to shop sales and clearence. Little money goes a long way #ilovetarget

110. i see it is a popular answer, but i use concentrated soap plus water in my soap pump dispensers to make a little go a long way.

111. Planning activities for my kids. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate, but they love the time we spend together doing things.

112. We recycle, carpool, and help pick up litter.

113. My twins 5 yr olds recycle old paper into new ones by using fun hole punchers and then storing the new shapes for new projects. Great fine motor skills too :) Thank you!

114. Flylady’s Weekly House Blessing – everyone pitches in… just a quick vacuum (only the middles), quick dusting, quick tidying up, etc. Max of 10 minutes each. Spending a hour working together as a family keeps the house tidy and ready for friends over all the time.

115. I make my own cleaning supplys and with two little boys my house always needs cleaning, it’s really easy and smells a lot better the cleaners you buy in store.

116. I save veggie scraps (asparagus ends, celery tops, etc.) and use them in stocks and to flavor my soups in general.

117. I pick up all of the things left around the kitchen and living room on a daily basis, that way the piles are much smaller. It also makes you think you are on top of things!

118. I separate my meat into single serving portions and freeze the rest. Then when I cook, I send the leftovers with my husband for lunch. It cuts down on my grocery bill by a lot!

119. I love giving kisses on my kids cheeks and always tell them to have a great day before sending them off to school. I know this seems little but it’s huge…because it starts their day and mood off on the right foot. :)

120. I set an egg timer for five minutes in which everyone cleans and picks up at the end of the day. Gets the major work done and makes it fun.

121. I’ve found that one large chicken breast can feed my whole family, especially shredded chicken in the crock pot. Some of our favorites are BBQ chicken sliders and chicken tacos. Most often I have enough left over for the hubby to take for lunch the next day.

122. We recycle, and I also recycle lots of items/scraps to use for crafts.

123. I water down my laundry detergent just a little bit. It makes it last way longer!

124. I use the hotel soaps as stain remover on my laundry. The little soaps go a long way (and they are too annoying to use in the shower because they are too little). Cute cards!

125. I coupon, price-match, shop at night when the food gets discounted at the grocery store, and make as much from scratch as I can!

126. We plan our meals and make a shopping list each week. This helps a ton!

127. Menu planning and Freezer cooking once a month.

128. I prepare the materials needed for crafts before my daughter gets home from school. It prevents frustration from not getting to the fun part fast enough. A little preparation goes a long way.

129. Ketchup! Honestly, if I let my kids put their own ketchup on their plates they would have a puddle big enough to go swimming in! I control the amount… I hate waste! Actually, ditto for shampoo. I control the amount that gets squeezed onto those little scalps. Otherwise I’d be buying a new bottle every week. :)

130. I have little rituals I do with my kids at bedtime, after baths, and other times of the day that they look forward to and will remember forever.

131. Making a grocery list and menu plan helps a little go a long way for our budget.

132. When my 2 year old gets too emotional to speak, I take a moment to kneel down in front of her and make eye contact to help her calm down. It’s those extra 30 seconds that go a long way to get her back to a normal state!

133. I do my best to try and make meals from scratch rather than rely on processed foods. It’s a lot healthier and most times cheaper, too.

134. We do “pits & cherries” at dinner. Everyone shares their best and worst thing from the day. My hope is that this little bit of time that we spend now getting our young children talking to us about their day will go a long way when they are teenagers.

135. I love sending cards to my loved ones randomly. I think just this little gesture can go a long way to brighten up someone’s day or week!

     Nicole

136. My kids are a tween and teenager and I can’t write them notes in their lunch boxes anymore, so I put notes out at night after they are in bed on the breakfast table for them to read at breakfast. It could say, “good luck on your math test”, “have an amazing day and be amazing”, or other sayings to get them ready for their day and let them know how much I love them! It is just a little note, but I think it goes a long way because I hope they will always remember those notes!

137. I put down my phone and play with my children.

138. Clean as you go, purge often and share!

139. As a card making enthusiast, there are always various cards lying around my desk. However, a simple saying in a card to anyone in need (family, friends, co-workers) I’ve learned, goes a long way to making people feel good.

140. I take time to stop and listen to my children.. on the way home from school, while they eat a snack, when they’ve created something special, or before bed…. whenever it is that they are ready to share, I always do my best to stop and listen. This is a little thing that goes a long way!

141. Even though I have a 12 year old, growing fast into a teenager. I still read to her at night and sing her to sleep with the same song.
     Love this craft idea!

142. I make a weekly meal menu and make grocery list off menu. Saves a ton :)

143. I meal plan and use coupons, definitely makes saving money a lot easier.

144. I make my own chicken broth from rotisserie chicken leftovers.

145. When I arrive home from grocery shopping – I prep all my veggies for the week, this makes it easier to grab something healthy all week long.

146. I use fruit and veggie “scraps” (already squeezed lemon, apple pieces from the core, etc.) to flavor water, thus making the fruit and veggie go a longer way and avoiding soft drinks.

147. I mail little cards or drop off little surprise gifts at my friends’ houses every now and then just to let them know I am thinking about them!

148. Meal planning certainly helps make things go along way

149. What little things do you do that go a long way? At every opportunity I tell the grandkids how special they are, hug them and tell them I love them. I also make a point to recognized there efforts no matter how small.

150. I buy store brand products as much as possible. They are often better quality (especially at Target) than the name brand and so much cheaper!

151. A little things that I do that goes a long way is pick up and clean as I go.

152. I spend a little bit of time each morning writing a note or drawing a picture to send in my little one’s lunch box. I think it goes a long way in saying how much I love her when she opens it up and reads it each day!

153. Instead of buying prepackaged snacks.. when I get home from the grocery store I fill little snack sized bags from the family packs… saves a lot of money

154. I make a list of chores with my children that includes cleaning at least one room each day of the week.

155. When my little ones help with chores its a little bit that helps a lot.

156. I clean up as I cook. Then there’s not such a huge mess after the meal.

157. Planning my meals in advance saves a ton on my gocery budget.

158. I have my kids do little chores every day, so things stay cleaner and it teaches them responsibility.

159. I buy concentrated soaps of all kinds to save money
     jslbrown_03(at)yahoo(dot)com

160. When I buy juice, I give my little half juice, half water. It’s healthier & goes a longer way!

161. I’ve found that by keeping interesting nonperishable side dishes such as rice and pasta, as well as certain freezer staples on hand, my groceries can stretch much farther each week!

162. i use antibacterial soap in my foaming dispensers – put a little soap in and a lot of water, and it works just right – and a little goes a long way!