Are Save the Date Cards Necessary?

No. IMHO, they create more problems than they solve. Once you send them, your guest list is done. You can't make it smaller (though budget, enthusiasm or relationships may change....).

Send an invitation in a timely way. It's been working for decades.

Not necessary at all ... a text or mass email might be better, because people will add a reminder to their calendar on their phone as they get an electronic message, a paper save the date will probably just go to trash or get foegotten.

They're not necessary. We gave STDs to VIPs and OOT guests, but I made them at home so they were super cheap. In your situation I wouldn't worry about them. Plus, as Celia said, once a guest receives a STD, they're locked into receiving an invitation.

No. Like @mrsmack, we are only sending STDs to our family, VIP friends, and the handful of OOT guests. One reason is cost but it's more so we do not lock in our guest list just yet. Our list has changed even in the past 6 months. Also, my parents gave us a financial gift to contribute to the cost so they added about 15 of their friends. I know I will invite them, I've known them my whole life, but they aren't people who I would have invited with my parents asking them to be there. If they end up having plans on that weekend by the time they get the invite, then that's okay, I just don't need them to hold that weekend open 6 months ahead of time.

If you don't do STDs, just make sure you connect and catch up with those you would like to invite within the next month or two giving them a heads up of the date. I would wait until March to send out the invites.

I think Save the Date's are really dumb. The wedding date came up in general conversation with the people we invited. If we weren't having general conversations with people, why would they be invited to our wedding? I just don't see the point.

They are not necessary - as Celia said, you are locked in to inviting these people and your budget may change. Let VIP's know ahead of time and you'll be fine. One less thing to stress over!

Edited to add: January is waaaay to early to send invites. Mid March is more like it.

No, STDs are not necessary. Your wedding is also in less than 6 months, so I think it would be pointless to send them now.

Also, wait to sent your invites out until 6-8 weeks before your wedding (around March rather than January).

No...not needed. I just got some, because I wanted to, though frankly it's not that necessary. I'm having a tiny wedding (20-30 max) that is a destination wedding on a weekday. I wanted to give those who want to come more of a heads up and to prevent some of the inevitable--"oh, I thought you said 18th" and to give a reference. Of course, because it's only really VIPs being invited at all, I've personally shared my plans with them. I printed DIY postcards to send in an envelope at Vistaprint---for $17 including shipping and an "upgrade" to matte finish. I have way more than I need even.

No. We did them because none of our guests live within 50 miles! In fact the closest person besides us is just over 2 hours away. Everyone will need a hotel so we figured we needed to give people more time.

If everyone is close, no need to do save the date cards unless you want to.

An alternate option would be to include the date in your Christmas cards if those are the same people you are inviting to the wedding.

They are not needed but most of our guest list is out of town...hours away and people kept asking me about them lol. We ended up using paperless post for the bulk of the people we sent them to (including elderly folks) and it was free. We also got 20 on sale from vistaprint, they cost us $11 for the folks that do not use the net much. Our guest list has been pretty much finalized since last December so we were comfortable sending STDs out and did not send anyone who we were on the fence about inviting one.

I sent save the dates before my 2014 wedding in order to let guests know when the wedding would be. I don't think they're only useful for OOT guests. They're not a requirement, but I know lots of people who hold onto them, they consider them a nice memento.

Nope, not necessary at all. It can be a courtesy if you have out of town guests or those who will have to take off of work, but it's not a requirement or expectation.