So my phone has started playing up big style, running slow all the time. The biggest problem seeming to be the touchscreen sporadically not working at all...its odd sometimes it works other times it just plan refuses to. So I am considering a reflash. I have backed up using the back up feature. one concern is where are my contacts saved to? I can't seem to find options for saving to SIM/phone etc...?!!!!

In contacts press the top menu ""All contacts". and then hit "export".
You can then follow the steps and back them up on your memory card if you wish.

Use vCard 3.0 file format.

ok...when it says in the backup that communication and calendars are save do conversations fall under communication?!

Yes conversations are saved too.

Conversations, contacts etc. only disappear if you reflash the eMMC and not if you just reflash the rootfs, I believe.

I had a similar issue. My screen either wouldn't respond or was way off target (despite calibrating again). I ended up just removing some apps I didn't need and disabling extras-devel. It solved the problem.