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.