What is a one-time payment?

A one-time payment is a single manual payment a customer makes to a creditor, using a debit card, credit card or bank account draft, states Time Warner Cable. Typically, the customer can pay the total amount due or make a smaller or larger payment.

Making a one-time payment via computer is a useful option for customers who are waiting for automatic monthly payments to begin or who have forgotten to mail a payment, notes Comcast. As of June 2015, it may take up to 48 hours to process and post deductions from checking or savings accounts or credit card charges. To make an advance payment on an account, a customer pays more than the amount due, and the creditor applies the excess to the next bill.