dribs and drabs
idiom

- small amounts that come or happen over a period of time

Merriam-Webster

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ORIGIN

Drib is known in some English, Irish and Scottish dialects from at least the eighteenth century, meaning a small quantity or a drop and most probably is a variant form of drip or drop. It was taken by emigrants to the US and at one time was fairly common there. The English Dialect Dictionary quotes a letter written by Abraham Lincoln in 1862:

“We are sending such regiments and dribs from here and Baltimore as we can spare to Harper’s Ferry”.

Drab meaning "a small sum of money" dates from the early 1800s.

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SYNONYMS

piecemeal, bit by bit

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Practice OWAD in a conversation today, say something like:

"He still owes me a lot of money, which I'll only get paid back in DRIBS AND DRABS."