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What are Photo Postcards?

B. Miller
B. Miller

Photo postcards are a great and easy way to keep in touch with family and friends. They are simple to make and allow you to easily share your favorite photos. You can commemorate many occasions with a photo postcard, which will generally cost less than $1 US Dollar (USD) to create and mail.

There are a few ways to make photo postcards. The most popular way is to upload your favorite photos to a website that will create the photo postcard for you. They will print the photo on one side, and leave the other side open for you to fill in the address and a personal note. Some websites will actually fill this information in for you, and even mail the postcards.

A message may be written on the back of a photo postcard.
A message may be written on the back of a photo postcard.

Another option is to upload your photo to a website, again, but this time you will print the finished postcards at home on your own printer. If you already have a photo printer that you use regularly, this option can be a money saver. The final option is to purchase postcard backing at a craft store, which has the traditional address and note section on one side, but has a removable sticky backing on the other side. Once you've printed your photos, you can remove the sticky backing and affix the photo to the postcard. This is probably the cheapest option, but also the most labor intensive!

E-postcards, while free, are less personal than sending physical postcards.
E-postcards, while free, are less personal than sending physical postcards.

Most websites and templates offer photo postcards in standard sizes. This makes mailing easier because it will usually take a less expensive stamp than a card or letter. Saving money with postcards means you can send out even more to friends and family, which they will appreciate. Recipients of a photo postcard may also be able to frame the photo and continue to enjoy it.

Some websites allow people to print the finished postcard on their home printer.
Some websites allow people to print the finished postcard on their home printer.

Photo postcards are appropriate for many occasions. Many people are using Christmas postcards instead of sending out traditional Christmas or holiday cards, because it allows the opportunity to also share a favorite family photo. Some couples are also using photo postcards to send out "Save the Date" cards, to notify family members to mark a date on the calendar for their wedding. A photo postcard for a new baby or from a recent vacation is also a great idea.

Another option is to send photo postcards online. These are also known as e-cards, but they too allow you to upload a favorite photo and e-mail it with a personalized greeting to many people. These are usually free, but are somewhat less personal than receiving a card in the mail.

Discussion Comments

andee

@julies - I have experienced the same thing when it comes to Christmas photo postcards. I receive more of these any cards or letters anymore. Because they are so quick and easy to do, it also makes sending out Christmas cards much less of a chore.

I always enjoy seeing pictures of friends and family every year when I receive their photo postcards. It is a nice way to keep in touch and so easy to do with digital cameras and all the photo options we have now.

julies

Photo postcards have become very popular recently and it is easy to see why. They can be much more economical than printing off photos and sending them in an envelope with a letter.

Almost all of the high school graduation invitations I receive anymore are photo post cards. When my kids graduated from high school, it became quite expensive to order the wallet size photos from the photographer. Sending the photo postcards not only saves you money, but also allows you to include several photos at once.

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    • A message may be written on the back of a photo postcard.
      By: A_teen
      A message may be written on the back of a photo postcard.
    • E-postcards, while free, are less personal than sending physical postcards.
      By: auremar
      E-postcards, while free, are less personal than sending physical postcards.
    • Some websites allow people to print the finished postcard on their home printer.
      By: Anna Khomulo
      Some websites allow people to print the finished postcard on their home printer.