You can download a netiso (net install / minimal iso). That kind of ISOs are between 80-250 MB (or even less) and contains a base system only but you can download the "rest" of the system from internet.

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/Installation/MinimalCD http://www.debian.org/CD/netinst/

But If you are not confident enough with Linux perhaps you might consider other options.

75 GB is plenty for Arch: https://www.archlinux.org/download/

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Installation_guide

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/USB_Installation_Media

I tried booting from a live cdr but it loaded into a command line. Is there a way to get this with a GUI installer? I'm new to Linux and don't know the command line.

Porteus runs in under 300mb and runs nicely off a cheap USB stick or CDR while having all the basics including a Desktop GUI.

http://www.porteus.org/

I though in that. I love that distribution it's excellent but it has it problems. I wouldn't recommend to "install" it in a hard drive as probably wants OP.

I ended up using 25 gigs to install Puppy Linux.