backup contacts to laptop without icloud

I would like to transfer my contacts from my iphone to my new macbook pro.

I have no other backup of the contacts so i want to be careful.

I have set up OS X Server on the laptop to sync contacts and calendars, since Mavericks won't do this and i will not use icloud.

My questions:

- If i set the iphone to sync contacts with the laptop/Server, is there any significant chance that they will be deleted? kind of a stupid question but must ask.

- Is there some other way to back up [not sync] contacts to the laptop? Suggestions for this without icloud?

I am still working on getting the phone to sync with the computer through Server.

I am aware of the discussion about syncing locally without icloud.