Where to Find a Cheap, High Quality Massage in San Francisco, California

You're all stressed out. You've got a headache, your shoulders hurt, and your feet are killing you. You need a massage. Times are hard though, and lately you're a bit low on the dough. How can you find a high quality massage without burning a big hole in your pocket? Finding a decent, yet inexpensive bodywork treatment is not as difficult as you might think.

One answer is to check out the local massage schools. Many schools have student clinics with prices sometimes starting as low as $30 for an hour. For example, the National Holistic Institute clinic with locations in San Francisco and Emeryville offers sessions for $35 per hour ($30 per hour for clients aged 55 and older), and San Francisco's World School of Massage offers treatments for $40 per hour. Although these are schools, the students working in the clinic do have adequate classroom training to begin working on the general public. Also, sometimes the students are already experienced bodyworkers who are learning new modalities. When getting a massage at a student clinic you might have book ahead, as the spots often fill up quickly. Also, leave a bit of extra time when getting a massage at a school, as you will often be asked to fill out an evaluation at the end.

Another way to find a low cost massage is ask around to local therapists and spas, and find out of any of them offer discounts. Many practitioners will offer a lower price during morning and afternoon hours for time slots that are more difficult to fill. The Little Epiphany massage studio in San Francisco's South of Market district (soon to be moving to the Marina) for example, offers sliding-scale rates from $40 on Tuesday and Thursday mornings at 10.30am. Also, most therapists (either independent or at spas or doctor's offices) offer package prices, giving you a substantial savings if you purchase a few treatments all at once.

Another way for some people to get an affordable massage would be to check with your insurance. Although many health insurance plans don't cover massage in California, most automobile insurance and workers compensation policies do. If you have been have been injured at work, or have been in a car accident, inquire with your local insurance company as to whether your policy covers massage. Although most independent practitioners do not accept insurance, you will generally be able to use your insurance at a chiropractic or physical therapy office that offers massage.

Another mostly unknown idea is to purchase a treatment from an online auction such as eBay. Although there is a section for services on eBay, massage is more commonly found in the gift-certificates section. Some of the available gift certificates are specific to a particular location, while others are for well-known spas with a nationwide network. These gift certificates often sell for a fraction of their actual value. For example, Financial District Chiropractic at 430 Davis Ct. in San Francisco often has gift certificates (that can be used for massage) with a value of $200 offered with a starting bid of only $99.99. Also, as I write, there is a gift certificate for Burke Williams Spa (of $125 value) with a starting bid of only $66.01. Burke Willams Spa is a top notch day spa with nine locations throughout California. Their San Francisco location is downtown, at the top of the new Westfield Shopping Center.

If none of these options work for you (or even if they do!), one last thing you can do is barter! Many independent massage therapists are open to bartering - especially for things related to their business such as printing, advertising, office space, etc. Also, if you happen to have a garden, it is likely that you could find someone to trade for regular baskets full of organic fruits and veggies! You could try anything really though- the possibilities are endless.

So, there you have it. Now there is no reason for excuses - go ahead and treat yourself to that much-needed massage!