(NAPS)—Considering that the economy is top of mind, the experts at PC.com have identified some helpful and inexpensive ways to stay in touch:

• Phone home—Reach out and touch. So, you've got family all over the place. Luckily, you can contact anyone you want, free. Thanks to the Internet, there are some wonderful ways to call, chat, video conference and so on:

• Instant Messaging (IM). What's so cool about IM? First, it's free to get the software and chat with friends, and if you've got a webcam and a microphone, you don't even have to type. You can look at your friend or family member and talk just as you would in person via video conference.

• Voice-over Internet protocol (VoIP). The name sounds more complicated than it really is. There are two VoIP options to choose from—you can go the totally free route over the Internet when talking from one computer to another with a microphone, or you can purchase a monthly ser-vice plan and use your normal phone, which only requires high-speed Internet access and not a computer.

• Say good-bye to stamps and hello to e-greetings. Sending cards can seem like a chore, but electronic greetings are very simple, whether you're a novice or expert Internet guru. All you need is your list of e-mail addresses and you're a few clicks away from sending your friends and loved ones personal greetings that are fun, cute, touching and interactive. And you can schedule the time when they go out—today, tomorrow, three weeks from now, whenever.

• Family newsletters. Electronic newsletters are an easy way to update friends and family on everything that has been happening and all you need is access to a computer. With so much at your fingertips, including free clip art options and your own digital photos, you can create a newsletter that's the ultimate show-and-tell. And you can e-mail it to friends and family members, no stamp required.

• Even better—Consider creating a holiday photo blog. Upload your pictures to a photo-sharing site and send a link so friends can easily see and read the wonderful things you've been doing all year long.

If you are looking for a new computer to do all these things, consider PC.com's matchmaker tool to help you find your perfect PC match.

To learn more about how to stay in touch with friends and family, visit www.pc.com.

You can keep costs down and relationships up—even with friends and family far away—with help from your computer.