Do a Direct Debit audit

• Direct Debits. This is an agreement with a company for it to automatically take an amount from your account on a regular basis. This is usually on a set date and for a fixed amount, though the amount can vary. Common Direct Debits include bills such as energy, council tax and broadband, plus you'll likely pay your mortgage, loans and credit card bills with one too.
  
  You're also covered by the Direct Debit guarantee which means if there's an error with the payment, your bank must refund you the full amount. 
  
  
• Standing orders. These are regular payments for a fixed amount you set up yourself via your bank. These are typically used to move money from your account to another, such as paying rent to your landlord or moving money to a savings account, rather than to pay a company for a service, though mortgage overpayments and service charges are examples.
  
  
• Recurring payments. A recurring payment (sometimes called a Continuous Payment Authority or CPA) is where you give a company permission to regularly take cash from your debit or credit card.
  
  Once a CPA has been set up, in theory, the company has your permission to take money whenever it believes you owe it, rather than sticking to a set date. Most reputable companies won't abuse this and will typically stick to the same amount and timeframe, though be wary of little-known organisations as this can lead to difficulties.
  
  The key way to spot a CPA when making a payment is that the company will ask for the long number across your credit or debit card, rather than your bank account number and sort code. Common examples include gym memberships, breakdown cover, streaming services (such as Netflix and Amazon Prime), magazines and insurance policies.

Many regular payments are quarterly, biannual or yearly so check back over 12 months to ensure you cover all outgoings.