Your Personal Calling Cards

Here's the situation. You're walking through a store and there stands an old friend you haven't seen in years. You're right in the middle of catching up, when your cell phone rings and you've got to go pick up one of the kids. Your friend says, "It's OK. Get going. I'll call you later. What's your number?" You rattle it off, but then you realize that nobody is going to remember the number all the way home. Neither one of you has anything to write on. Now, what?

It's no problem, because you reach in your pocket and pull out a personal calling card. It's got your name, address, phone number and perhaps a favorite quote or hobby. Your friend does likewise. Now you've got contact information for phone calls, holiday cards, and whatever. It's so easy, so valuable, and so inexpensive.

Time was, a few hundred years ago, that calling cards were all the rage. At that time they were also known as visiting cards. When you dropped by someone's home unexpectedly, you handed whomever opened the door a small card announcing who you were. It was considered proper etiquette at the time for those in the upper classes.

Today, calling cards have been largely replaced by business cards that serve the same purpose. In addition to introductions, they are also valuable in business networking and having your customer's or vendor's contact information available at a glance. Business cards have become standardized in size and format. So much so, that you can even create your own and print them out on perforated card stock or get free business cards online.

But, not everyone is in business. There's the rub. You would like a way to share your personal contact information, but not pay a fortune for some special engraved and haughty visiting card. You're in luck. There's a way to get free calling cards, too. Just don't call them that. Call them business cards, but leave out the business part. Voila! Calling cards!

Go ahead, give it a try. Vista Print offers free business cards with over 42 different color backgrounds. Not just corporate themes, either. There are trees, flowers, artistic designs, American flags. Lots more. Browse the designs, pick the template you like best and enter the text you want on your card. There are blanks for Company Name and Message. If you type in a space instead of a company name, that line will be blank. Or use it for something else, like a personal motto or nickname. When you like what you've entered, go on to finalize the cards and have them printed.

You'll be sent 250 calling cards (business cards sans the business part) printed on heavy card stock with smooth edges. These are better than what you can make on an inkjet printer because the printing won't run when it gets wet. They look both professionally made and very personal. You do have to pay a few dollars for shipping and processing, but the basic cards themselves are free. If you want, you can add upgrades for glossy finish, foil accents and hundreds more designs. But that's up to you. Get free business cards online.