HEADING OFF ON

vacation is a chance to get away from it all, but while you're gone, the bills keep rolling in.

Or do they? You probably know to put a hold on your newspaper and mail, but temporary service suspensions, which are offered for everything from your landline and wireless phones to your high-speed Internet and cable, allow you to shut down your service (and those monthly bills) while you're away. Setting it up is as simple as calling your providers and asking for a "vacation service," or, alternately, a "temporary suspension."

See chart Still, the savings can be substantial even for travelers on short trips. Although Dish Network charges $5 a month for service suspension, someone subscribing to its $90 "America's Everything" satellite TV package would still save $17.50 during a weeklong vacation.

Try these four tips to get the most out of vacation service suspensions:

Be specific. The fees and terms vary depending on where you live and why you're requesting a suspension, says Wesley Chin, a spokesman for Verizon. Head out of your wireless plan's service area or to your vacation home (where you've separately arranged for service), and the policy may be more generous than if you simply want a reprieve from your bill for a few days. Your hometown may also dictate details. Florida, for example, has particularly lenient policies thanks to seasonal residents and substantial tourist draw. Verizon customers there can suspend their services for up to nine months, instead of the usual six. Plus, the $10 service charge is waived.

Avoid vacation notices. If you opt to suspend your phone service, be cautious about leaving a message noting that you're on vacation, or providing another number where you can be reached (a service most providers offer), says Lauren Russ, executive director of the Burglary Prevention Council, a nonprofit education group. It's like letting newspapers or mail pile up. "That's a red alert to would-be burglars," who may test-call a home they believe unoccupied, she warns.

Mind your contract. If you have a contract with your provider to receive service for a set period of time, ask what happens to that contract, says Linda Sherry, spokeswoman for Consumer Action. Providers usually extend your contract by the period of time you're away. But exceed their maximum, and you may be extended further. Or worse: T-Mobile may cancel accounts that aren't reinstated after its 90-day limit.

Determine a backup. Return home from vacation to find service hasn't been reinstated? No thanks. Expressing this concern to the major providers, their reps insisted that providing exact dates negates this issue. Even suspended, your wireless phone allows you to call 611 (customer service). Use that to reactivate your wireless service, and then dial your providers' toll-free numbers.

We talked to the major national providers about their temporary service suspension policies. Sprint/Nextel did not return calls by deadline. Representatives from AT&T and Comcast declined to provide policy specifics, citing wide variation based on consumer needs, location and suspension purposes. "We're locally managed," says Comcast spokeswoman Jennifer Khoury. "It gives them the advantage to tailor policies to their local market."

Here's what to expect from your provider on your next vacation: