"Just by making a few small changes in your life, you can really make a big difference in your savings and retirement," says Bryan Olson of the Schwab Center for Investment Research.

The center released results of a study that showed giving up potato chips with lunch could save $176.80 a year and generate retirement savings of $10,483.62 in 20 years, assuming a ten percent return. The same principle was illustrated with a number of common indulgences.

Giving up two doughnuts a week could boost your nest egg by $6,552.26 in two decades. Switch from double latte with whipped cream to regular coffee, and you could save $429 per year—a whopping $27,028.07 at ten percent over 20 years.

Dropping the potato chips would also eliminate close to 10,000 calories per year. Suppose you eat a bagel with cream cheese three times a week. Just by skipping the cream cheese, you would toss 54,000 calories a year from your diet and save $117—or $7,371.29 over a 20-year investment period.

Olson released these facts to underscore one of the oldest investment maxims in his industry: Regular investments, even in small amounts, will make a big difference in savings and retirement.

All the positive steps you take, even the smallest ones, make a significant difference over time.