Also, most utilities and other pay-every-month type establishments let you pay from their websites, you enter your bank account info (just the same routing & account #s that are on your checks, nothing nefarious) and they store it in your profile, and you make the one time payment when you want. You don't have to make any arrangement with your bank. I've been paying my cable, phone, gas, and electric this way for years. I pay when I have the money in the account, and when I want to.